CMM Public Administration & Governance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a strong-mayor form of government, which characteristic distinguishes it from the council-manager form?
- The mayor has executive authority and can veto council legislation (Correct answer)
- The mayor serves only a ceremonial role
- Department heads report directly to the council
- A professional manager holds all executive authority
Correct answer: The mayor has executive authority and can veto council legislation
In a strong-mayor system, the mayor exercises executive authority including veto power, unlike the council-manager model where a professional manager leads administration.
Question 2: The Dillon's Rule doctrine in local government law holds that:
- Municipalities have broad home rule authority to govern themselves
- Local governments possess only the powers expressly granted by state law (Correct answer)
- Federal law supersedes all local ordinances in every circumstance
- City councils can override state statutes through local referendum
Correct answer: Local governments possess only the powers expressly granted by state law
Dillon's Rule limits local government authority to powers explicitly granted, fairly implied, or essential to stated purposes under state law.
Question 3: A city manager is asked by a council member to speak with a reporter on behalf of the council member's re-election campaign. The manager should:
- Comply, as serving council members is part of the job
- Decline, as participating in partisan political activities violates professional ethics (Correct answer)
- Agree only if compensated from personal funds
- Refer the request to the city attorney for approval
Correct answer: Decline, as participating in partisan political activities violates professional ethics
The ICMA Code of Ethics prohibits professional managers from engaging in partisan political activities that compromise their political neutrality.
Question 4: Which intergovernmental relations model describes the federal government setting broad goals while states and localities have flexibility in how to achieve them?
- Dual federalism
- Cooperative federalism (Correct answer)
- Competitive federalism
- Coercive federalism
Correct answer: Cooperative federalism
Cooperative federalism involves collaboration among federal, state, and local governments where federal goals are pursued with state and local implementation flexibility.
Question 5: When a local government enters into an interlocal agreement, the primary purpose is to:
- Transfer municipal debt obligations to another jurisdiction
- Share services or resources between local governments to improve efficiency (Correct answer)
- Dissolve one municipality and merge it into another
- Override state regulations that apply to individual cities
Correct answer: Share services or resources between local governments to improve efficiency
Interlocal agreements allow municipalities to share services, pool resources, or jointly deliver programs to achieve cost savings and service improvements.
Question 6: Administrative due process in local government requires that before imposing significant penalties on individuals, agencies must typically provide:
- Notice of the action and an opportunity to be heard (Correct answer)
- A jury trial in all cases involving fines over $500
- Written approval from the state legislature
- Unanimous consent from all council members
Correct answer: Notice of the action and an opportunity to be heard
Constitutional due process requires meaningful notice and an opportunity to respond before government deprives individuals of property or liberty interests.
Question 7: Which governance concept describes the shift from government as the sole service provider to government as one actor among many in delivering public services?
- New Public Administration
- Governance Networks (Correct answer)
- Scientific Management
- Bureaucratic Weberianism
Correct answer: Governance Networks
Governance networks describe collaborative arrangements where government, nonprofits, and private entities jointly provide public services.
CMM Public Administration & Governance 3
In a strong-mayor form of government, which characteristic distinguishes it from the council-manager form?