U8L9: State and Local Governments Unit Review

Which of the following is a justice of the peace allowed to conduct?

a marriage ceremony

Three cities across two counties combines to provide citizens with a unified bus and rail service. Which term best describes the local government entity they created?

a special district

You have recently moved to a rural town in the northeastern United States and discovered that a board of elected supervisors runs the local government and conducts town meeting to discuss local problems and possible solutions. What type of local government is this?

township

Which state official replaces a governor who dies or leaves office before his or her term is over?

varies by state

How are the executive powers divided in state governments?

between the governor, the attorney general, and other state administrators

How does the action described in this quotation from the text affect the powers and responsibilities of tribal governments? "Official recognition by the federal government is cubical for the tribal governments because it establishes their sovereignty..."

It exempts tribal governments from state and local control so they do not have to follow state laws.

Which of the following is an argument in support of the popular election of state judges?

It makes the judges answerable to the people

What are the roles and responsibilities of the states within the federal system of government?

State government roles are divided into three branches similar to the federal government. Every state has a legislature responsible for creating laws called statutory laws. Every state also has a governor who acts as the state executive. However, this power is shared between other elected state officials. States also have a judicial branch with multiple levels of courts. Many of the responsibilities of the states are shared with the federal government, such as the construction and maintenance of interstate highways. However, states provide a wide variety of services to citizens, including education, police and prisons, welfare, and parks.

Which of the following statement about the size of state legislatures is true?

State legislatures vary in size, but usually have a smaller upper house

How do states and localities meet the needs of the people? What challenges do they face?

States provide for the needs of the people by sharing power with local governments, such as counties, cities, and special service districts. They also generate revenue to pay for the services provided. This is done primarily through taxes. States choose between sales, income, and property taxes, as well as several other forms of taxation, such as inheritance and amusement taxes. There are also a variety of nontax revenues that states can choose from, such as lotteries and business ventures. One of the major challenges facing states is increased urbanization. Large cities with many people make providing services to all citizens difficult, as local agencies can become overwhelmed. Zoning and city planning can help remedy this. Another challenge is balancing state and local budgets with so many services demanding funds and in the wake of unexpected events. This problem often leads to borrowing money.

Read the excerpt from the Supreme Court's decision in Baker v. Carr. How has the Supreme Court answered the question posed in this excerpt? "And so the question is, may a State weight the vote of one county or one district more heavily than in weights the vote in another? The traditional test under the Equal Protection Clause has been whether a State has made an 'invidious discrimination'..."

The Supreme Court has ruled that states must create legislative districts that represent equal numbers of citizens

Which of the following is an example of a state legislature carrying out a commonly held judicial power?

The legislature votes to impeach a member of the state executive branch

Who is responsible for the contraction and maintenance of U.S. highways?

The states and the federal government share the costs

The collapse of the housing market in 2008 caused property values to decline, which meant that states collected less money in property taxes. Which service would be most affected by this variation in revenue?

education

The federal government allows states to set their own age restrictions on alcohol. However, the federal government also withholds important highway funding to any state with a legal district age below 21 years. This is an example of what structure?

fiscal federalism

Which of the following are elements found in all state constitutions?

governmental powers and processes; protection of civil rights; ways to change the constitution

Driving faster than the posted speed limit is an example of which type of crime?

misdemeanor