Final answer:
The claim that Dillon's Rule grants local governments independence in decision making is false. Dillon’s Rule restricts local government powers to those explicitly granted by the state government, contrasting with Home Rule autonomy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Dillon's Rule gives local governments the freedom and flexibility to make decisions for themselves is False. Dillon's Rule is a legal principle that states that local governments have only the powers granted to them by the state government. This means that the authority of local governments is limited to what is expressly allowed by state law, or is necessary and implied from those laws, and not prohibited by higher levels of government.
Under Dillon's Rule, local governments would need to look to state constitutions and laws to determine what powers they have. In contrast, the Home Rule, which is the opposite of Dillon's Rule, would give local governments more autonomy to govern themselves without needing explicit authorization from state laws for each specific act.