Q&A Hero

Q: Virtually all public assistance programs in Texas are coordinated through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Q: The typical family of three in Texas generally will qualify for enough public assistance to place them above the poverty level.

Q: The reality of poverty in Texas is that the very young and very old are most likely to live in poverty.

Q: Most of the children who live in poverty in Texas live in families where both parents are unemployed.

Q: The percentage of people who live below the poverty level in Texas is greater than the national average.

Q: Whenever government seeks to improve the quality of life for the poor, it is producing a redistributive public policy.

Q: Following the wishes of the majority in a democracy will generally solve all of the problems of society.

Q: Among the root causes of most modern policy issues are caused by urbanization, industrialization, economic fluctuations, or issues with the environment.

Q: A mandate is an order by a higher level of government which requires a lower unit of government to make or enforce a particular action.

Q: Interest groups seldom are effective in placing items on the public policy agenda.

Q: Issues may be placed on the public policy agenda as a result of the political events such as the outcome of an election.

Q: The Texas court system played a major role in securing the action of the Texas legislature on the school funding issue.

Q: The Texas legislature in 2006 finally came to an agreement on a solution to the school funding process after orderly debate and careful consideration, with no outside pressure.

Q: Issues are generally placed on the public agenda through the means of public opinion polls.

Q: Widespread agreement generally exists as to which programs should receive the attention of public officials and how the money should be spent.

Q: When public officials develop public policy, they are establishing priorities for programs that benefit the public.

Q: In 2000, almost one-half of the Texas economy is derived from the production, processing, and sale of agricultural products.

Q: Historically, the Texas economy was based on natural resources such as oil, land, and water.

Q: After adjustments for population growth and inflation are made, the Texas budget has been relatively flat from the period from 1990 to 2004.

Q: The tax structure of Texas is complicated by the fact that the poor pay a greater percentage of their income in taxes than do the wealthy in Texas.

Q: Based on your analysis, what are the chances that the state of Texas is likely to adopt an income tax in the immediate future?

Q: What functions require the most revenue in Texas? How does Texas rank with other states in per capita spending on education and highways?

Q: Describe the main steps of the budget process in Texas. How significant is the Legislative Budget Board in the budget process? How significant is the governor?

Q: Discuss the concept of a progressive and a regressive tax system? Which does Texas have? Why do most experts believe this to be the case?

Q: What are the major categories of taxes levied in Texas? Which group of taxes produces the most revenue?

Q: How has the cyclical nature of the Texas economy affected the state's budget? What does the term inelastic mean as applied to a state budget?

Q: The function which received the majority of federal funds is A. health and human services B. education C. transportation D. public safety

Q: Which of the following functions receives the largest share of federal funding? A. education B. pollution control C. health and human services D. transportation

Q: Which of the following is a major role of the Comptroller of Public Accounts in the budget process? A. providing periodic estimates of available revenue B. providing periodic reports of state spending C. certifying the final budget before it goes to the Governor for approval D. all of the above are important roles of the Comptroller

Q: The entity that take the lead in formulating the budget for the state government during the planning phase is the A. State Auditor's Office B. Executive Budget Office C. Legislative Budget Board D. staffs of the House Appropriations or Senate Finance Committees

Q: Which of the following is not a strategy used by the state of Texas to meet the needs of additional revenue? A. performance evaluation to make government more effective B. increasing fees on citizens for governmental services C. changing the revenue structure D. all of the above have been utilized

Q: A regressive tax is one that A. charges persons with different levels of income the same rate of tax B. taxes a larger percentage for those with lower incomes C. taxes a larger percentage for those who have higher incomes D. taxes everyone the same percentage of their income

Q: Which of the following would be an example of a progressive tax? A. motor vehicle tax B. liquor tax C. cigarette tax D. personal income tax

Q: Which of the following taxes is not levied in Texas? A. general sales taxes B. personal income taxes C. inheritance taxes D. severance taxes

Q: Taxes on tobacco and alcoholic beverages are generally listed as A. general sales taxes B. selective sales taxes (excise taxes) C. income taxes D. gross receipts taxes

Q: The Texas tax system is generally classified as A. highly progressive B. generally progressive C. generally proportional D. generally regressive

Q: Which of the following is an example of a regulatory tax? A. state severance taxes B. tobacco and liquor taxes C. corporate franchise tax D. general sales tax

Q: Before the state of Texas can borrow money on the credit of the state, what must happen? A. the legislature must approve a bill to borrow the money B. the governor must sign a personal note for the money C. the voters must give approval by adopting a constitutional amendment D. the Comptroller of Public Accounts must approve the loan

Q: The largest single non-tax revenue source for the state of Texas has been A. the lottery B. drivers license fees C. federal aid D. college and university tuition

Q: Which of the following sources of revenue for the state of Texas has not experienced declines in recent years? A. general sales tax B. state lottery C. severance taxes D. oil and gas leases

Q: The official charged with the collection of most of the state's taxes is the A. State Treasurer B. local county tax-assessor collectors C. Comptroller of Public Accounts D. Governor of Texas

Q: Almost one-half of the state's revenue comes from: A. user fees B. investment income C. taxes D. rebates from local governments

Q: Which of the following was not cited by the authors as a reason for the ups and downs of the Texas economy and budget? A. over-production of oil and the resulting drop in prices B. decreased federal aid over the past twenty-five years C. a drop in the state's income tax D. serious cycles of inflation

Q: The tax system of Texas cannot readily adjust for economic cycles. Thus it is said to be A. regressive B. progressive C. proportional D. inelastic

Q: The Texas economy was initially based on: A. exploitation of natural resources such as oil, land, and water B. manual labor C. industrial growth D. technological services

Q: Since 1990, after adjusting for inflation and population growth, the budget of Texas has: A. increased over fifty percent B. decreased over fifty percent C. increased about twenty-five percent D. barely kept pace with inflation

Q: The percentage of the state's budget spent on highways has increased over the past two decades.

Q: Texas ranks in the upper quarter of the states in per capita spending on health and human services.

Q: Texas spends more on education per capita than most other major urban states.

Q: The state of Texas is responsible for the building and upkeep of school buildings of Texas public school buildings.

Q: Health and Human Services and Education account for three-quarters of the Texas budget.

Q: The item veto of the governor allows the governor to strike out individual provisions from the appropriations bill.

Q: The Comptroller of Public Accounts must certify the budget passed by the legislature before it can go to the governor.

Q: The Comptroller of Public Accounts has an item veto over items in the budget.

Q: The final version of the appropriations bill is written by a conference committee appointed by the presiding officers of the Texas legislature.

Q: Primary responsibility for the planning of the Texas budget rests with the Legislative Budget Board.

Q: Privatization is a name given to the practice of having governmental activities conducted by corporate rather than governmental employees.

Q: The current strategy by the national government is to increase the amount of federal aid flowing to the states.

Q: The per capita tax burden in Texas places Texas as having one of the highest tax burdens of any of the urban states.

Q: In 2006 the Texas corporate franchise tax was changed to make it in effect a corporation income tax.

Q: A severance tax is a tax levied on natural resources which are removed from the earth.

Q: A fair tax structure is a value associated with a democratic government.

Q: Texas is rated by the Citizens for Tax Justice as being one of the states with the most regressive tax structure in the nation.

Q: The Texas tax structure is generally classified as progressive.

Q: The Texas legislature has been shifting the burden of financing the state budget from the taxpayers to others by raising the fees for governmental services.

Q: Since the year 2000, college and university tuition in Texas has steadily been reduced.

Q: For the legislature to engage in deficit financing requires a four-fifths vote of the legislature.

Q: The per capita state debt in Texas is about the same as the national average.

Q: Grants from the federal government which go to fund specific programs are called categorical grants.

Q: Sales of lottery tickets now fund about ten percent of the Texas budget.

Q: The largest non-tax revenue source for the Texas budget are intergovernmental transfers from the federal government.

Q: Taxes create over three-quarters of the revenue necessary to fund the Texas budget.

Q: The Texas tax structure is highly elastic and is easily adjusted for the cycles in the economy.

Q: The North American Free Trade Agreement created a major boom for the border cities of Texas.

Q: The collapse in the price of oil in the 1980s created a major economic dislocation for the Texas economy.

Q: Summarize the revenue sources available to local units of government. How do school districts differ from non-school districts in the area of finance?

Q: What are the main reasons that special districts are created? What are the criticisms of the use of non-school special districts?

Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of the nonpartisan election of city officials?

Q: Compare and contrast the at-large and the district election options for city councils?

Q: What is the most popular form of city governmental organization for the cities which have a home-rule form of government? Explain how it works?