exam 4

According to studies of state use of poverty funding, which of these is not accurate?

States like Texas, with the highest poverty rates spent more than their allotted federal funds.

​Which statement about progressive taxation isnot true?

Texas has a highly progressive tax system

Which statement about problems facing the state of Texas with regard to health care costs is true?

Texas ranks worst in the nation in terms of health insurance, with approximately 18.4 percent of its population lacking it in 2019

​Most states supplement federal antipoverty programs with state funds. What is Texas's approach?

Texas takes a "bare bones" approach, providing very little additional state funding to federal antipoverty programs

In 2008 the Executive Director of the TCEQ retired, and several months later became a lobbyist for a company that had received a permit over the objections of TCEQ scientists. This is an example of

The revolving door

​In budget discussions, a source of power for the comptroller is _____.

that the comptroller must certify that expected revenues are sufficient to fund expenditures

The organization with the mission to "protect our state's human and natural resources" consistent with sustainable economic development is called _____.

the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

In 1991, in order to increase state revenue, voters in Texas approved _____.

the Texas lottery

Which of these is not true of home schooling in Texas?

the Texas supreme court ruled that home schooling was protected just as private schooling was

To what does the term public policy refer?

the overall purpose behind individual governmental decisions and programs

The practice of wealthy interests, such as the Texas energy industry, of hiring government regulators as executives or lobbyists once they leave their government job is known as _____.

the revolving door

One appealing feature of natural gas as an energy source is

there is a large supply in Texas

Which of these are ways that private individuals have an advantage over government servants trying to protect the public interest?

through interest groups and personal contacts

​According to your text, what is the current status of using race in the admissions process?

​All of these are correct.

​Which statement is an argument in support of a state income tax for Texas?

​Income taxes would create a more progressive tax system.

​Which of these isnot true of education in Texas?

​Spending large amounts of funds at the state and local levels has resulted in Texas having one of the best-funded education systems in the country.

​Which statement best describes the structure of the health and human services system in Texas?

​There are four departments, each of which is headed by a commissioner who reports directly to the governor.

​When the state of Texas contracts with a private company to build and run prisons in Texas, this is an example of _____.

​privatization

Tax equity refers to ​_____.

​the idea that taxes should be fair

The energy source that made Texas prosperous also made it the nation s largest polluter, contributing to global warming, was

oil

Which type of tax does Texas not have?

personal income tax

The Texas traditionalist-individualist culture places an emphasis on

private, short-run exploitation of nature

The poverty threshold for a family of three in the United States for 2021 is approximately _____.

$21,960

Which of these is an argument against continued reliance on oil and natural gas for the Texas economy?

All of these are arguments against continued reliance on oil and natural gas.

Why isTexas's oil industry likely to continue to be a major force in the state and national economies?

All of these are reasons why Texas is likely to remain a major force.

Which statement about the state of Texas's relationship with federal funding is true?

All of these statements are true.

​Revenue taxes are designed to _____, while regulatory taxes are designed to _____.

raise government income; punish undesired behavior or reward desired behavior

Which of the following is not cited as an advantage of light rail?

reduced crime

In 2014, Texas Rivers ranked __ among the states for total volume of toxic discharge.

second

The two nuclear energy plants in Texas, Comanche Peak and South Texas Nuclear Project, produce what percentage of Texas electricity?

10 percent

Hurricanes Rita, Ike and Harvey were more severe than they would have been decades ago

Because of human activity resulting in a warmer planet

Which city in Texas began operating a light-rail system in 1996, becoming the first city in the American Southwest to do so?

Dallas

In 2016, the EPA reported several Texas counties

Exceeded pollution standards measured by EPA

For energy policy decisions, liberals prefer

Government regulation that considers things like climate change

Which statement regarding the revenue structure of Texas isnot true?

Heavy reliance on sales taxes gives Texas a very elastic revenue structure

Which case outlawed the use of race as a factor in admission to law school?

Hopwood v. Texas

The two state agencies that play a major role in the initial formulation of the budget are the Budget, Planning, and Policy Division and the _____.

Legislative budget board

​Which statement about mandates is not true?

Mandates come only from the federal executive branch to the stat governments

Modern education reform in Texas began in the mid-1980s with passage of an act thatincluded higher attendance standards, a longer school year, and incentives for excellent teachers. This act, which is best known for its controversial recommendation that athletes and other students who were not passing their classes not be allowed to participate in extracurricular programs, is called the _____ Act.​

No Pass, No Play

The political culture of Texas places an emphasis on

Private, short-run exploitation of nature

In Texas, the making of public policies is often hampered by conflicts involving _____.

a newer moralistic culture among a vocal minority in the state, as well as Texas's individualistic and traditionalistic culture

A _____ tax is a tax levied on the removal of natural resources (especially oil and gas) from the earth.

severance

​"An admissions program that takes race, gender, and ethnicity into account to attempt to make up for past patterns of discrimination" is the definition of _____.

affirmative action

What did No Child Left Behind, passed in 2001, do?

allowed students to transfer from unsuccessful schools to successful schools, and required annual testing of students in core subjects

A fee for a specific government service charged to the person who benefits from the service is _____.

called a user fee

Which type of federal grant could be used only for programs specified in the grant?

categorical grant-in-aid

The taxes Texas levies on specific items like tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, and gasoline are known as _____ taxes.

excise or selective sales

A _____ year is the budget year for a government or corporation.​

fiscal

Historically, health, education, and welfare policies were

functions of the state government

What term is used to describe increases in what things cost in an economy?

inflation

The Texas economy is shifting from one based on natural resources to one based on _____.

information and technology

Most of the money generated by the motor fuels (gas and diesel fuel) tax in Texas _____.

is spent on maintaining and building highways and roads

One serious drawback to natural gas is

it is extremely explosive

A(n) _____ is a policy decision through which one level or branch of government requires another level or branch of government to act in a certain way.

mandate