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PLEASE ONLY DO MULTIPLE CHOICE AND TRUE OR FALSE QUESTIONS, DO NOT DO THE ESSAYS
CHAPTER 11
Multiple Choice
1. The “municipal government” applies to all these governments recognized by the legislature as being a governmental entity except:
a. cities.
b. towns.
c. districts.
d. villages.
2. Three-fourths, or approximately 900, of Texas’s municipalities are classified as
a. special districts.
b. general law.
c. home rule.
d. specific law.
3. In order to become home rule status, a city must have a population of at least
a. 5,000 citizens.
b. 1,000 citizens.
c. 100 towns.
d. 50 districts.
4. All of the following are true about weak mayor-council form of city government except:
a. It is widely used in most of Texas’s less populated and rural cities.
b. Most of the day-to-day executive operations are carried out by either the mayor or by a city council.
c. It has only a few departments.
d. The mayor has unlimited policy implementation and veto powers.
5. Most medium-to-large sized cities in Texas have the form of government called
a. weak mayor-council.
b. strong mayor-council.
c. commission.
d. council-manager.
6. The official who is responsible for hiring individuals to oversee the various departments in a council-manager form of city government is the
a. mayor.
b. city manager.
c. city council.
d. county manager.
7. The form of city government in which each elected official also oversees a department is called
a. weak mayor-council.
b. strong mayor-council.
c. council-manager.
d. commission.
8. The most common type of city election is the:
a. ward system.
b. at-large system.
c. single-member district system.
d. place system.
9. The place system of city election is
a. often used in the large-sized cities in Texas.
b. variation of the at-large system.
c. most benefits political incumbents.
d. Variation of single-member district system.
10. Another name given to single-member district system of election is
a. wards.
b. place system.
c. at-large system.
d. multi-member system.
11. The type of election which is the best method of ensuring minority representation is the:
a. place system.
b. at-large system.
c. ward system.
d. single-member district system.
12. Property taxes are based upon
a. income.
b. cost of living increase.
c. value of property.
d. revenue.
13. The city’s portion of the sales tax is collected by the
a. Internal Revenue Service.
b. Comptroller of Public Accounts.
c. Tax Assessor-Collector.
d. Land Commissioner
14. All of the following are the sources of revenues for the city government except:
a. sales tax.
b. franchise tax.
c. property tax.
d. income tax.
15. A city tax charged to a public utility to place lines or wires along and under city streets is a
a. user fee.
b. sales tax.
c. franchise tax.
d. property tax.
16. General obligation bonds are repaid by
a. user fees.
b. franchise fees.
c. the usual sources of revenue available to the city.
d. grants.
17. In order to attract business and commerce, many municipalities offer financial incentives, called
a. Abatements.
b. Ad valorem.
c. Capital improvement.
d. User fees.
18. The county commissioners court
a. hears civil cases.
b. passes city ordinance.
c. is the governing body of the county.
d. oversees city government.
19. The county commissioners court does all except:
a. oversees the county government.
b. sets the county tax rate.
c. adopts the county budget.
d. hears felony cases.
20. All of the following are county-wide elected officials except:
a. commissioners of County Commissioners Court.
b. Sheriff.
c. Tax assessor-Collector.
d. County Clerk.
21. The county Tax Assessor-Collector
a. assesses property value.
b. collects the county sales tax.
c. collect taxes that are due to the city governments.
d. issues titles for motor vehicles.
22. All of these are criticisms leveled against county government except:
a. spoils system
b. inability to pass ordinances
c. ability to establish home rule
d. long ballot
23. The system under which county workers are hired for political patronage is the
a. spoils system.
b. merit system.
c. partisan system.
d. non-partisan system.
24. Which of the following is not a special district?
a. school district
b. community college district
c. hospital district
d. city district
25. The number of councils of governments in Texas is
a. 14.
b. 24.
c. 34.
d. 36.
True/False
1. A majority of Texans reside in cities with a home rule charter.
2. The city charter does not specify the name of the municipality and the form of government to be implemented.
3. The strongest argument in favor of council-manager is that there is very little waste.
4. In most cases, members of city council are paid $10 to $50 per council session. \
5. Large expenses that are not part of the day-to-day operations of the city are known as capital improvements.
6. County government is much like the plural executive model of government that exists at the national level.
7. Texas law requires a sheriff to be a licensed peace officer.
8. The District Clerk is the official custodian of county records, including all filings and proceedings for the District Courts and County Courts at Law they serve.
9. A special district is a non-government entity established to deliver a specific service to a limited geographic area.
10. Texas has approximately 60 community college districts that offer academic and vocational programs.
Essay Questions
1. Discuss the types of city governments used in Texas.
2. What are different sources of revenues for city, county, and special districts?
3. Discuss the structure and operations of elected county officials.
4. Describe the role of special districts and discuss the reasons for their growth.
5. What are the functions of the Council of Governments?
State & Local Govt
Chapter 11
Page 1 of 4
CHAPTER 11
Multiple Choice
1. All of these are true about public policy except:
a. Public policy is any course of action taken by government that affects the public.
b. Public policy is any course of action taken by organized groups that affect their members.
c. Public policy takes the form of rules and regulations.
d. Public policy takes the form of laws.
2. An example of redistributive public policy is
a. subsidized school lunches.
b. gasoline tax.
c. legalized gambling.
d. sales and distribution of alcoholic beverages.
3. The proper order of policy making model is
a. agenda setting, policy formulation, policy adoption, policy implementation.
b. policy formulation, agenda setting, policy adoption, policy implementation.
c. policy adoption, policy implementation, agenda setting, policy formulation.
d. policy implementation., adoption, agenda setting, policy formulation
4. According to the policy making model, policy is carried out at which of the following steps?
a. Adoption
b. Formulation
c. Implementation
d. Evaluation
5. According to the policy making model, policy is reviewed at which of the following steps?
a. Formulation
b. Evaluation
c. Implementation
d. Adoption
6. Constraints on the budget-making process include all of the following except:
a. balanced budget provision.
b. the biennial budget system.
c. dedicated funds.
d. presidential and gubernatorial mandates.
7. Revenues set aside for a specific program and purpose is called
a. balanced funds.
b. dedicated funds.
c. restricted funds.
d. retrogressive funds.
8. Which of the following statements is not true about the budget-making process?
a. Both the governor and the Legislative Budget Board draw up competing proposed budgets.
b. The Legislative Budget Board dominates the budget-making process.
c. The governor dominates the budget-making process.
d. The Appropriations Committee in the House and the Finance Committee in the Senate create spending bills.
9. The 2010-11 biennial Texas budget is
a. $182 billion.
b. $150 billion.
c. $100 billion.
d. $75 billion.
10. As part of President Obama’s stimulus package in 2009, Texas received
a. $8 billion grant.
b. $10 billion grant.
c. $12 billion grant.
d. $15 billion grant.
11. A tax which places a higher burden on the poor is called
a. progressive tax.
b. regressive tax.
c. graduated tax.
d. value-added tax.
12. The largest source of tax revenue in Texas is
a. sales tax.
b. motor fuels tax.
c. franchise tax.
d. “sin” tax.
13. The Texas Constitution does allow the state government to tax
a. property.
b. services.
c. those under income of $50,000 a year.
d. franchises.
14. Which of the following statements is not true?
a. Only three states have no corporate income tax.
b. The franchise tax generates 11 percent of tax revenue in Texas.
c. Originally, the franchise tax was levied on a business’s inventory in Texas.
d. Businesses pay no taxes in Texas.
15. Taxes levied on those habits that are seen as detrimental by many are called
a. regressive taxes.
b. retrogressive taxes.
c. “sin” taxes.
d. value-added taxes.
16. The state tax on a pack of cigarettes rose from forty-one cents per pack to
a. $1.00
b. $1.50
c. $1.31
d. $1.41
17. What is the name given to a tax levied on the patrons of adult entertainment establishments?
a. “pole tax”
b. “sin tax”
c. “entertainment tax”
d. “happy hour tax”
18. All of these items are subject to both federal and Texas taxes except:
a. alcohol.
b. tobacco.
c. income.
d. gasoline.
19. The Texas Constitution prohibits the state from instituting an income tax unless
a. governor gives his approval.
b. the Justice Department gives its approval.
c. voters give their approval.
d. the Texas Supreme Court gives its approval.
20. According to federal law, one of these taxes is deductible from federal taxes by Texans.
a. sales tax
b. franchise tax
c. inheritance tax
d. school property tax
21. What percent of the total state and local tax burden on Texans goes to local governments?
a. 30 percent
b. 40 percent
c. almost 60 percent
d. almost 50 percent
22. State spending in Texas is greatest for
a. welfare.
b. health..
c. education.
d. transportation.
23. Texas’s third largest state expenditure is
a. welfare.
b. health.
c. education.
d. highways.
24. Which statement is not true about Medicaid?
a. Children comprise about three out of five recipients.
b. A large number of residents on Medicaid are permanent residents.
c. More Medicaid funds are expended on the elderly and disabled.
d. Medicaid costs alone are about $22 billion a year.
25. A non-fiscal policy issue would be
a. welfare spending.
b. education spending.
c. welfare spending.
d. tort reform.
True/False
1. The courts establish public policy through judicial review and precedent.
2. The Texas statutory law mandates that the state must have a balanced budget.
3. A progressive tax places a higher burden upon the wealthy.
4. Most states have no corporate income tax.
5. On a per-person basis, the state of Texas receives only about 4.2 percent of the average citizen’s income in taxes.
6. Texas has received more revenue from non-tax than from tax sources.
7. As part of the budget, Texas spends more on higher education than public education.
8. In 2003, the legislature deregulated tuition at state colleges and universities.
9. The health and human services budget exceeds $30 billion a year, about 30 percent of which comes from federal government grants.
10. Public safety ranks fourth in expenditures, taking up about 6% of the budget.
Essay Questions
1. What are the steps in making public policy?
2. What are the major sources of revenues and expenditures in Texas?
3. What role do the Legislative Budget Board, the Governor, and the Comptroller of Public Accounts play in the budget making process?
4. What has been the economic impact of the lottery in Texas?
5. What are specific constraints imposed on the Texas budget?
State & Local Govt
Chapter 12
Page 4 of 4
