State and Local Government Exam
Answer Key
Course Introduction
This course provides an in-depth examination of the structures, functions, and processes of state and local governments within the United States. Students will explore the constitutional foundations, political institutions, policy-making processes, and intergovernmental relations that shape governance at the subnational level. Key topics include the roles of governors, legislatures, and local officials, the influence of parties and interest groups, budgeting and finance, and the delivery of public services. The course also addresses contemporary issues such as urbanization, federalism, and the challenges faced by state and local entities in responding to societal needs.
Recommended Textbook
Governing Texas 1st Edition by Anthony Champagne
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13 Chapters
842 Verified Questions
842 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/463 Page 2
Chapter 1: The Political Culture, People, and Economy of Texas
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55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8298
Sample Questions
Q1) Technological change in Texas is best evidenced by the
A) Civil War's positive effect on the Texas economy.
B) boom-and-bust cycle of the oil industry.
C) development of a high-tech industry after a slump in oil prices.
D) continued reliance on ranching.
E) continued reliance on oil production.
Answer: C
Q2) On average, Texans are younger than the rest of the United States.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) Which of the following would best characterize a traditionalistic individualistic political culture?
A) low taxes and deference to business leaders
B) government policies that promote traditional social morals
C) government policies designed to benefit the political elite
D) encouragement of active participation in government
E) high taxes and government run by elites
Answer: A
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Chapter 2: Texas and the Nation
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) One significant problem facing Texas in the future involves
A) obtaining water supplies for urban areas.
B) global warming.
C) inflation.
D) lack of areas to build houses for a growing population.
E) a high state income tax rate.
Answer: A
Q2) The Great Depression of 1929 was the catalyst that led many Americans to support the New Deal.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) Dual federalism is also known as
A) layer-cake federalism.
B) cooperative federalism.
C) coercive federalism.
D) marble-cake federalism.
E) New Federalism.
Answer: A
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Page 4
Chapter 3: The Texas Constitution
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56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The Texas Constitution created a plural executive, consisting of multiple elected officers.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) Which of the following is not a reason for the low level of voter turnout for constitutional amendments?
A) Most amendments are relatively insignificant for most voters.
B) Many amendments are not controversial.
C) Negative advertising in the media has had the effect of alienating possible voters.
D) Elections for amendments are held in "off" years, when no candidates are on the ballot.
E) Voters generally have little information about these amendments.
Answer: C
Q3) The Constitution of 1866 did not exclude former secessionists from voting.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 4: Political Parties in Texas
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The last Democratic president that carried the state of Texas was
A) Franklin Roosevelt in 1932.
B) John F. Kennedy in 1960.
C) Jimmy Carter in 1976.
D) Bill Clinton in 1992.
E) A Democratic president has never carried the state of Texas.
Q2) In the post-Civil War era, the only parts of Texas that showed significant Republican leanings were
A) counties in the Panhandle.
B) rural areas in East Texas.
C) counties located along the Rio Grande River.
D) large cities.
E) German counties in the Texas Hill Country.
Q3) Discuss urban, rural, and suburban influences on partisanship. Explain which party tends to dominate in each of these areas, and why.
Q4) Describe the history of Texas as a one-party state. Which party dominated Texas politics, and what are the historical origins behind this dominance? What were some of the ramifications of one-party rule? What caused the rise of a two-party system in Texas?
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Chapter 5: Elections in Texas
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Poll taxes, such as those used in Texas, disenfranchised poor voters.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Motor Voter Act of 1993
A) allows states to offer voters "drive-thru" voting booths.
B) allows citizens to register to vote while applying for a driver's license.
C) restricts one's right to vote because of unpaid traffic tickets.
D) was declared unconstitutional by the Texas Supreme Court.
E) only allows citizens with a valid Texas driver's license to register to vote.
Q3) In Texas, primary elections are usually held in
A) March.
B) April.
C) May.
D) August.
E) November.
Q4) The Texas Constitution and election laws call the Texas primary system an open primary.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Explain why it is difficult to be elected as an independent candidate in Texas.
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Chapter 6: Interest Groups and Lobbying
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52 Verified Questions
52 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Entertaining politicians is one of the most critical ways for lobbyists to gain access.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following groups have had notable political success by litigating in federal courts?
A) professional groups
B) public employee interest groups
C) civil rights groups
D) chemical company lobbyists
E) business lobbyists
Q3) There are no legal restrictions on lobbying by former Texas governors or legislatures.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Interest groups typically have more time, money, and expertise to offer politicians than do average citizens.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 7: The Texas Legislature
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53 Verified Questions
53 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) How is the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives chosen?
A) The Speaker is elected in a statewide election.
B) The Speaker is the most senior representative in the House.
C) The Speaker is the most senior representative from the majority party.
D) The Speaker is elected by members of the House.
E) The Speaker is appointed directly by the majority party in the House.
Q2) The Texas constitution forbids the legislature to borrow money to conduct the daily operations of government.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In Texas, who can write a bill?
A) only a member of the legislature
B) the legislature or someone officially authorized by the legislature
C) any government official
D) anyone at all
E) only the legislature and/or governor
Q4) Conference committees are designed to make Texas House and Senate bills identical to each other.
A)True
B)False
Page 9
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Chapter 8: The Texas Executive Branch
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55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Why did the Texas constitution establish a plural executive?
A) Texas was following the structure of the federal executive.
B) There was suspicion of a strong chief executive.
C) The complications of running a state as large as Texas necessitate a plural executive.
D) It was necessary in order for the executive branch to be as dominant as possible.
E) It was necessary to provide an important check on the state legislature.
Q2) Which of the following statements concerning the Texas Department of Insurance is incorrect?
A) It is a single-member commission.
B) The department's commissioner is appointed for a two-year term.
C) The department makes sure that all Texans are covered by health insurance.
D) It regulates the insurance market in Texas.
E) The current department has been in effect since 1993.
Q3) Texas has a plural executive made up of multiple popularly elected offices.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 9: The Texas Judiciary
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77 Verified Questions
77 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is not a part of the "appoint-elect-retain" concept to judicial elections?
A) The governor appoints a judge.
B) The state senate confirms with two-thirds approval of the members.
C) The governor-appointed nominee does not assume office until confirmed by the senate.
D) The nominee goes through a vetting process to confirm his or her ability to fill the position.
E) The judge runs in a contested nonpartisan election and subsequent retention elections.
Q2) What percentage of the 819 justices of the peace in Texas are non-lawyers?
A) 52 percent
B) 74 percent
C) 81 percent
D) 87 percent
E) 93 percent
Q3) Each incorporated town or city in Texas has a municipal court.
A)True
B)False
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Page 11
Chapter 10: Crime and Corrections Policy
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69 Verified Questions
69 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The lowest class of misdemeanor is which of the following?
A) Class A
B) Class B
C) Class C
D) state jail
E) second degree
Q2) Which of the following is not a reason that an individual can be given the death penalty in Texas?
A) murder for hire
B) murder during the commission of an aggravated rape
C) murder of a child under the age of twelve
D) murder of a public safety officer, fireman, or correctional employee
E) murder by a prison inmate serving a life sentence
Q3) In cases in which the accused cannot provide bail or cannot pay a bondsman, what option may this individual have?
A) The individual can provide his or her home as collateral to the court.
B) The individual can work off his or her payment in community service.
C) The individual can voluntarily serve time to avoid bail costs.
D) The individual can be released on his or her personal promise to appear.
E) The individual has no options and must remain incarcerated.
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Chapter 11: Public Finance in Texas
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74 Verified Questions
74 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8308
Sample Questions
Q1) Who certifies the state budget of Texas?
A) the governor
B) the legislature
C) the chair of the LBB
D) the comptroller
E) the Speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor
Q2) The LBB's draft budget, not the governor's budget, is the one voted upon by the legislature.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Under Texas's budgetary system, there is no power to shift monies between agencies or programs when the legislature in not in session.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Who pays the greatest portion of their income in property taxes?
A) business owners
B) wealthy homeowners and renters
C) poor homeowners and renters
D) renters
E) Everybody pays the same.
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Chapter 12: Public Policy in Texas
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82 Verified Questions
82 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The most persistent social problem facing Texas is
A) severe droughts.
B) poverty.
C) crime.
D) environmental degradation.
E) political corruption.
Q2) The high school graduation rates in Texas are
A) the highest of any state in the nation.
B) among the highest in the nation.
C) unknown because this data is not collected.
D) improving dramatically due to the reforms of the 1980s.
E) among the lowest of all fifty states.
Q3) The generally accepted standard by which poverty is measured in the United States is the
A) unemployment index.
B) the caloric intake index.
C) the index of income inequality.
D) the United Nations global poverty index.
E) the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty index.
Q4) What are some of the considerations in evaluating welfare policy?
Page 14
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Chapter 13: Local Government in Texas
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59 Verified Questions
59 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is not provided by a special district?
A) hospitals
B) schools
C) flood control
D) city police
E) utilities
Q2) Special districts have often been called the hidden government. What are special districts? What are some of the services they provide? How are special districts created, governed, and funded?
Q3) Since 1954, there have been no home-rule chartered cities in Texas.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Different types of city government create different political opportunities and problems. Using the different city government types, describe the particular political environments of Texas's three largest cities.
Q5) Special districts are funded through sales taxes.
A)True
B)False
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