Paper details:
Texas is a small-government state. Its politicians, of all stripes, bemoan the intrusion of the federal government, yet the 84th legislature acted to impose its will on local government in a number of areas.
Read: http://www.localcontroltexas.org/ [this is a pro-local control Texas interest group. Read their page, and see what they believe]
http://www.tribtalk.org/2015/03/12/liberty-trumps-local-control/ [this is an op-ed by Rep. Matt Rinaldi, on why state control over local ordinances upholds liberty]
Discuss the issue of Local Control from both sides. What are the arguments for and against local control?
Is it hypocritical for the state government to impose its will on the policies?
Choose one issue below, and explore how local control has been handled by state government.
Fracking
Sanctuary Cities
Non-discrimination ordinances (e.g., Houston’s HERO)
Zoning
Red Light Cameras
Plastic bags
[SLO3 fulfills Program Level Outcomes 1, 2, 5, 6; Course Level Outcomes 2, 5, 6, 7, 8]