Question 1

The second largest share of the state budget is for

Accepted Answer

A)  education. 
B)  law enforcement and prisons. 
C)  highways. 
D)  health and human services. 
E)  business and economic development. 
A)  education. 
B)  law enforcement and prisons. 
C)  highways. 
D)  health and human services. 
E)  business and economic development. D

Question 2

Elected officials have been actively involved in addressing automobile pollution problems in major Texas cities.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 3

The new business tax was instituted to make up for lower ____ ordered by the Texas Supreme Court.

Accepted Answer

A)  county property taxes 
B)  school property taxes 
C)  city property taxes 
D)  personal income taxes 
E)  sales taxes 
A)  county property taxes 
B)  school property taxes 
C)  city property taxes 
D)  personal income taxes 
E)  sales taxes B

Question 4

With each financial crisis, it becomes______ for the legislature to raise the sales tax rate.

Accepted Answer

A)  less politically difficult 
B)  more politically difficult 
C)  much easier 
D)  m??? ???t?n? 
E)  more economically difficult 
A)  less politically difficult 
B)  more politically difficult 
C)  much easier 
D)  m??? ???t?n? 
E)  more economically difficult

Question 5

Briefly define dedicated funds and give at least two arguments for and against them.

Accepted Answer

Dedicated funds are specific sources of

Question 6

Describe the stages of the policy process.In your opinion, which stage is most crucial to successful public policies? Justify your answer.

Accepted Answer

The stages of the policy process typical

Question 7

An order by Judge Justice limited the population of prison units to 85 percent of capacity in an effort to guard against the recurrence of rioting and other ills in the system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

The ultimate political problem is neither who will benefit from specific policy decisions nor who will pay the bill, but rather the fear all politicians have of being defeated in the next election.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

____________ would be considered a dedicated fund.

Accepted Answer

A)  A fund that has money set aside to it through a constitutional requirement 
B)  A program that must be funded annually and can be done from any number of sources 
C)  A fund that can be used at any time for any purpose by the state government 
D)  A program that can receive additional funding from charitable donations 
E)  A fund which receives its money through aid provided by the federal government 
A)  A fund that has money set aside to it through a constitutional requirement 
B)  A program that must be funded annually and can be done from any number of sources 
C)  A fund that can be used at any time for any purpose by the state government 
D)  A program that can receive additional funding from charitable donations 
E)  A fund which receives its money through aid provided by the federal government

Question 10

Which of the following is true regarding taxes in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)  There is no sales tax on luxury items. 
B)  Personal income is not taxed. 
C)  Ad valorem taxes are only collected on even years. 
D)  Property tax revenues are only used for bond payments. 
E)  Business income is not taxed. 
A)  There is no sales tax on luxury items. 
B)  Personal income is not taxed. 
C)  Ad valorem taxes are only collected on even years. 
D)  Property tax revenues are only used for bond payments. 
E)  Business income is not taxed.

Question 11

Sin taxes

Accepted Answer

A)  are used to directly fund public healthcare initiatives. 
B)  do not exist in Texas. 
C)  are only imposed on tobacco and alcohol producers. 
D)  are imposed on tobacco products and alcohol. 
E)  are used to increase consumption of luxury goods. 
A)  are used to directly fund public healthcare initiatives. 
B)  do not exist in Texas. 
C)  are only imposed on tobacco and alcohol producers. 
D)  are imposed on tobacco products and alcohol. 
E)  are used to increase consumption of luxury goods.

Question 12

What criteria would you use to evaluate the fairness of the state's tax structure? Explain why you chose those criteria and predict what such an evaluation would reveal about the fairness of the Texas tax structure.Based on that hypothetical evaluation, what changes in the tax structure (if any) would you recommend?

Accepted Answer

To evaluate the fairness of the state's

Question 13

Has public education in Texas improved in the last two decades? Detail in what ways progress has been made.

Accepted Answer

Public education in Texas has shown impr

Question 14

the authority to transfer funds to meet emergencies between legislative sessions.

Accepted Answer

A)  Only the governor has 
B)  Only the legislative leaders have 
C)  The legislature and the Comptroller together have 
D)  No state government official has 
E)  The governor and legislative leaders together have 
A)  Only the governor has 
B)  Only the legislative leaders have 
C)  The legislature and the Comptroller together have 
D)  No state government official has 
E)  The governor and legislative leaders together have

Question 15

A 2009 study found the wealthiest 1 percent of Texas families paid 	 percent of their incomes in state and local taxes.

Accepted Answer

A)  33.5 
B)  23.5 
C)  13.5 
D)  7.5 
E)  3.3 
A)  33.5 
B)  23.5 
C)  13.5 
D)  7.5 
E)  3.3

Question 16

A 2010 University of Texas/ Texas Tribune poll found that ____ percent of Texans strongly supported the death penalty.

Accepted Answer

A)  23 
B)  63 
C)  53 
D)  83 
E)  93 
A)  23 
B)  63 
C)  53 
D)  83 
E)  93

Question 17

House Bill 72 is best described as

Accepted Answer

A)  a reduction in taxes to boost educational spending. 
B)  a bill that reduced teacher pay. 
C)  an attempt to overhaul public education and limit class sizes. 
D)  an attempt to overhaul public education by doubling class sizes to increase efficiency. 
E)  a bill to fund free higher education. 
A)  a reduction in taxes to boost educational spending. 
B)  a bill that reduced teacher pay. 
C)  an attempt to overhaul public education and limit class sizes. 
D)  an attempt to overhaul public education by doubling class sizes to increase efficiency. 
E)  a bill to fund free higher education.

Question 18

In 2003, the U.S.Supreme Court, in a ruling in a Michigan case, upheld the Hopwood decision by holding that universities can't use affirmative action in admissions policies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Which of the following is true of sales taxes?

Accepted Answer

A)  Lower income families are more affected by increases. 
B)  They are considered progressive when food items are excluded. 
C)  Sales taxes are returned to the counties in which they were collected 
D)  They are unimportant to most Texans. 
E)  They are fair for all Texans. 
A)  Lower income families are more affected by increases. 
B)  They are considered progressive when food items are excluded. 
C)  Sales taxes are returned to the counties in which they were collected 
D)  They are unimportant to most Texans. 
E)  They are fair for all Texans.

Question 20

Which of the following statements is correct regarding regular sessions of the Texas legislature?

Accepted Answer

A)  A one-year budget must be written. 
B)  A two-year budget must be written. 
C)  Sessions may be canceled if the first year budget produces a surplus. 
D)  Budgets are not discussed in regular sessions. 
E)  A three-year budget must be written. 
A)  A one-year budget must be written. 
B)  A two-year budget must be written. 
C)  Sessions may be canceled if the first year budget produces a surplus. 
D)  Budgets are not discussed in regular sessions. 
E)  A three-year budget must be written.

The second largest share of the state budget is for

Elected officials have been actively involved in addressing automobile pollution problems in major Texas cities.

The new business tax was instituted to make up for lower ____ ordered by the Texas Supreme Court.

With each financial crisis, it becomes______ for the legislature to raise the sales tax rate.

Briefly define dedicated funds and give at least two arguments for and against them.

Describe the stages of the policy process.In your opinion, which stage is most crucial to successful public policies? Justify your answer.

An order by Judge Justice limited the population of prison units to 85 percent of capacity in an effort to guard against the recurrence of rioting and other ills in the system.

The ultimate political problem is neither who will benefit from specific policy decisions nor who will pay the bill, but rather the fear all politicians have of being defeated in the next election.

____________ would be considered a dedicated fund.

Which of the following is true regarding taxes in Texas?

Sin taxes

Has public education in Texas improved in the last two decades? Detail in what ways progress has been made.

the authority to transfer funds to meet emergencies between legislative sessions.

A 2009 study found the wealthiest 1 percent of Texas families paid percent of their incomes in state and local taxes.

A 2010 University of Texas/ Texas Tribune poll found that ____ percent of Texans strongly supported the death penalty.

House Bill 72 is best described as

In 2003, the U.S.Supreme Court, in a ruling in a Michigan case, upheld the Hopwood decision by holding that universities can't use affirmative action in admissions policies.

Which of the following is true of sales taxes?

Which of the following statements is correct regarding regular sessions of the Texas legislature?

The social and economic milieu of texas politics

The texas constitution

Intergovernmental relationships

Interest groups and political power in texas

The mass media in texas politics

The party system in

Elections, campaigns, and political behavior

The texas legislature

The texas executive

The bureaucracy and policy implementation

The judicial system in texas

Local government in texas: cities, towns, counties, and special districts

Filters

Exam 13: Contemporary public policy issues in texas

The second largest share of the state budget is for

Elected officials have been actively involved in addressing automobile pollution problems in major Texas cities.

The new business tax was instituted to make up for lower ____ ordered by the Texas Supreme Court.

With each financial crisis, it becomes______ for the legislature to raise the sales tax rate.

Briefly define dedicated funds and give at least two arguments for and against them.

Describe the stages of the policy process.In your opinion, which stage is most crucial to successful public policies? Justify your answer.

An order by Judge Justice limited the population of prison units to 85 percent of capacity in an effort to guard against the recurrence of rioting and other ills in the system.

The ultimate political problem is neither who will benefit from specific policy decisions nor who will pay the bill, but rather the fear all politicians have of being defeated in the next election.

____________ would be considered a dedicated fund.

Which of the following is true regarding taxes in Texas?

Sin taxes

Has public education in Texas improved in the last two decades? Detail in what ways progress has been made.

the authority to transfer funds to meet emergencies between legislative sessions.

A 2009 study found the wealthiest 1 percent of Texas families paid percent of their incomes in state and local taxes.

A 2010 University of Texas/ Texas Tribune poll found that ____ percent of Texans strongly supported the death penalty.

House Bill 72 is best described as

In 2003, the U.S.Supreme Court, in a ruling in a Michigan case, upheld the Hopwood decision by holding that universities can't use affirmative action in admissions policies.

Which of the following is true of sales taxes?

Which of the following statements is correct regarding regular sessions of the Texas legislature?

The social and economic milieu of texas politics

The texas constitution

Intergovernmental relationships

Interest groups and political power in texas

The mass media in texas politics

The party system in

Elections, campaigns, and political behavior

The texas legislature

The texas executive

The bureaucracy and policy implementation

The judicial system in texas

Local government in texas: cities, towns, counties, and special districts

Filters