Write at least a three page essay about suburban/urban politics concentrating on your suburb, Collin County and the DFW metroplex. Write in your own words and answer these question in your essay: 
     Where do you live in Patchwork Nation? What is your community type? What are the other community types in
     Texas?
     What is the politics of your part of Texas/America?  
     What plan of municipal government does your city use?
     Is your ISD property wealthy and thus subject to the "Robin Hood" Texas public school finance law?
     In the 1992 article “The Suburban Century Begins”  what is meant by:
          “the suburban century begins,”
          the “suburban myth,”
          the "prevailing imperative of suburban life,"
         "the urban and suburban agendas,"
          the “suburban view of government,”
          “spend broadly, tax narrowly"?
     Do these ideas still apply today in 2012 to your Monied Burbs or Boomtown?

     Additional references:
     William Schneider, “The Suburban Century Begins,” Atlantic Monthly, July 1992. EReserves    
       Patchwork Nation, http://patchworknation.csmonitor.com/ Christian Science Monitor  and here at PBS Newshour. 
      Jeff Mosier & Katherine Leal Unmuth, "Federal judge orders Irving to adopt single-member districts for city council,"
                                                                        Dallas Morning News,  July 16, 2009.
      Richard Murray, "Redistricting the City of Houston: Third in a Series," Houston Blogs, Prof 13 July 6, 2009.
      Matthew Haag, "Plano ISD mutes criticism of 'Robin Hood' as its annual funding hit declines,"
                                  Dallas Morning News, March 29, 2010.
     Jessica Meyers, "Collin County at the bottom of federal funds distribution, Dallas Morning News, March 11, 2010.
      Talmadge Heflin & James Quintero, Property Taxes in and Around Texas, Texas Public Policy Foundation,
                                                                     February 2010.
 

GUIDELINES FOR ESSAYS:

     Answer the question based on your synthesis of the accompanying articles, your text, and class discussion.  The major ideas of the articles must be in the essay.  Write in your own words and cite sources as you use them.  For essay writing guidelines Professor Charles King's essay "Battling the Six Evil Geniuses of Essay Writing," PS Online, March 1998 available at Library Ereserves is highly recommended.

      Type and bring your completed essay to the exam in class. You will need the Mini-Essay/Scantron booklet and a number 2 pencil for the multiple-choice questions. You will also need space to answer the bonus opportunity. Please submit your writing to Turnitin for analysis. Revise your writing if needed before submitting your paper to the professor.

 

The Bonus Opportunity on the Exam is: State up to five facts you learned for the exam but were not asked in the multiple choice and the facts did not belong in your essay. Facts must be from the new material not the comprehensive portion of the exam. Each fact is worth two points.