Texas Government 2306 Hicks-Final Exam
UPDATED Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Why must the budget in Texas be balanced? - CORRECT ANSWER - The state
constitution demands it to be, it is unconstitutional for it not to be
Article 3, Section 49a (pay-as-you-go limit),
What areas in the state budget are impacted the most by federal expenditures? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Healthcare and human services, education
Know the reputation Texas has in terms of spending - CORRECT ANSWER - Low
service, low tax state
-seeks to maintain a favorable environment for business.
Know how Texas get its revenue - CORRECT ANSWER - -Sales taxes
- severance taxes on oil and natural gas produced in the state
- licensing income
-interest and dividends
- federal aid
Describe how the money in the budget is organized into specific funds - CORRECT
ANSWER - General revenues fund:the state's primary operating fund; Includes
- the Available School Fund,
- the State Instructional Materials Fund
-and the Foundation School Fund
General Revenue-Dedicated Funds:is a subset of the General Revenue Fund
-State Parks Account and the college operating accounts (which hold tuition funds).
,- legislature can appropriate money from these accounts ONLY for their dedicated purposes.
-the balances in this budget are used to certify that the constitutional pay-as-you-go limits
(discussed below) are being met.
Federal Funds :includes all grants, payments, and reimbursements received from the federal
government by state agencies and institutions, including those from the Medicaid program, Title
1 Grants to Local Educational Agencies, transportation grants, and the Children's Health
Insurance Program.
Other funds budget:consists of all other funds flowing into the state treasury that are not included
in the other methods of financing.
-State Highway Fund
-the Texas Mobility Fund
- the Property Tax Relief Fund
- the Economic Stabilization Fund.
All funds budget: is the aggregate of all these ways of financing government and refers to all
revenue that goes through agencies, including federal and state programs.
What provisions in the state constitution affect the budget? - CORRECT ANSWER --
limitation on how much money we can spend above our debt
-pay as you go limit
Know the major steps and players in making the budget - CORRECT ANSWER - Two
parts:
1. Governor- chief planning officer, budget bills can be line item vetoed. LBB Legislative budget
board State agencies requesting money
2. Submit to legislature. Ran like a bill being passedLegislature gives out funds
Know and analyze the budget crisis in Texas - CORRECT ANSWER - Came from great
recession and property tax reform-Came to a budget short fall, a lot less money came in than was
expected-Gov considered using rainy day funds but did not
, Know the major issues that have shaped education policy in Texas, including the Gilmer-Aiken
Laws and possible reforms to the quality of education in the state - CORRECT ANSWER -
Plans to fix our education system in the 1940s-present-Longer school terms, "no pass, no play",
high stakes testing, funding, increasing charter schools
Know the history of reforms to the welfare system - CORRECT ANSWER - The origins of
modern welfare policy lie in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal.
-Programs given to the state from the national government
-Created limit caps to make sure it is not a burden on the state
-Created to save money, limit fraud
-to run the state's various public assistance programs.
-changed to the Department of Health and Human Services in 2003
Know what Medicaid is - CORRECT ANSWER - Federally and state funded but federally
ran medical program-For poorer people who can not afford medical insurance
Know what managed care programs are - CORRECT ANSWER - Intermediaries which
negotiate w health carriers to get best deals for people
Know the affect the Affordable Care act had on Texas - CORRECT ANSWER - Makes
health care cheaper and more available to people
The long-term effect of the ACA for Texas would be a budgetary one. Increased expenditures on
Medicaid and health care in Texas are all but inevitable.
Know about the history of water rights in Texas - CORRECT ANSWER - Water vs.
Property rights-Ground water and surface water are different, taking water fro ground can effect
water reserves. Can regulate this but have to compensate
According to the video watched in class, know the notable products Mexico began exporting in
larger numbers due to NAFTA - CORRECT ANSWER - Avocados and shoes
UPDATED Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Why must the budget in Texas be balanced? - CORRECT ANSWER - The state
constitution demands it to be, it is unconstitutional for it not to be
Article 3, Section 49a (pay-as-you-go limit),
What areas in the state budget are impacted the most by federal expenditures? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Healthcare and human services, education
Know the reputation Texas has in terms of spending - CORRECT ANSWER - Low
service, low tax state
-seeks to maintain a favorable environment for business.
Know how Texas get its revenue - CORRECT ANSWER - -Sales taxes
- severance taxes on oil and natural gas produced in the state
- licensing income
-interest and dividends
- federal aid
Describe how the money in the budget is organized into specific funds - CORRECT
ANSWER - General revenues fund:the state's primary operating fund; Includes
- the Available School Fund,
- the State Instructional Materials Fund
-and the Foundation School Fund
General Revenue-Dedicated Funds:is a subset of the General Revenue Fund
-State Parks Account and the college operating accounts (which hold tuition funds).
,- legislature can appropriate money from these accounts ONLY for their dedicated purposes.
-the balances in this budget are used to certify that the constitutional pay-as-you-go limits
(discussed below) are being met.
Federal Funds :includes all grants, payments, and reimbursements received from the federal
government by state agencies and institutions, including those from the Medicaid program, Title
1 Grants to Local Educational Agencies, transportation grants, and the Children's Health
Insurance Program.
Other funds budget:consists of all other funds flowing into the state treasury that are not included
in the other methods of financing.
-State Highway Fund
-the Texas Mobility Fund
- the Property Tax Relief Fund
- the Economic Stabilization Fund.
All funds budget: is the aggregate of all these ways of financing government and refers to all
revenue that goes through agencies, including federal and state programs.
What provisions in the state constitution affect the budget? - CORRECT ANSWER --
limitation on how much money we can spend above our debt
-pay as you go limit
Know the major steps and players in making the budget - CORRECT ANSWER - Two
parts:
1. Governor- chief planning officer, budget bills can be line item vetoed. LBB Legislative budget
board State agencies requesting money
2. Submit to legislature. Ran like a bill being passedLegislature gives out funds
Know and analyze the budget crisis in Texas - CORRECT ANSWER - Came from great
recession and property tax reform-Came to a budget short fall, a lot less money came in than was
expected-Gov considered using rainy day funds but did not
, Know the major issues that have shaped education policy in Texas, including the Gilmer-Aiken
Laws and possible reforms to the quality of education in the state - CORRECT ANSWER -
Plans to fix our education system in the 1940s-present-Longer school terms, "no pass, no play",
high stakes testing, funding, increasing charter schools
Know the history of reforms to the welfare system - CORRECT ANSWER - The origins of
modern welfare policy lie in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal.
-Programs given to the state from the national government
-Created limit caps to make sure it is not a burden on the state
-Created to save money, limit fraud
-to run the state's various public assistance programs.
-changed to the Department of Health and Human Services in 2003
Know what Medicaid is - CORRECT ANSWER - Federally and state funded but federally
ran medical program-For poorer people who can not afford medical insurance
Know what managed care programs are - CORRECT ANSWER - Intermediaries which
negotiate w health carriers to get best deals for people
Know the affect the Affordable Care act had on Texas - CORRECT ANSWER - Makes
health care cheaper and more available to people
The long-term effect of the ACA for Texas would be a budgetary one. Increased expenditures on
Medicaid and health care in Texas are all but inevitable.
Know about the history of water rights in Texas - CORRECT ANSWER - Water vs.
Property rights-Ground water and surface water are different, taking water fro ground can effect
water reserves. Can regulate this but have to compensate
According to the video watched in class, know the notable products Mexico began exporting in
larger numbers due to NAFTA - CORRECT ANSWER - Avocados and shoes
