POLY EXAM
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- Major goals of this course are to...
- a. Realize that politics has a strong impact on your daily life. b. Attempt to pay more attention to whether you’re a winner or a loser with political decisions
- 2. Other key points in this course are that
- a. The political structure and the behavior of politicians are NOT neutral (i.e., do NOT benefit everyone equally) b. We all must be vigilant toward Democrats and Republicans in power to prevent them from enacting or continuing policies that adversely affect us. c. We must develop tolerance toward those we disagree with in order to have a less polarized society.
- 3. Bezdek and Huerta show in the last essay in the text that:.
- a. Ethnic polarization is a major factor in the voting patterns of Corpus Christi’s at-large city elections. b. Latinos constitute over half the population but only about a third of the voters. c. Latinos have won about 17% of the at-large seats since 1983, when the new electoral system was implemented.
- 4. From the arguments presented by Bezdek and Huerta, it is clear that most of the at-large city councilpersons are Anglos because:
- a. Most of the city voters (those who actually vote) are Anglo. b. While the majority population of the city is Hispanic, many are too young to vote, and the others do not register and vote at the same ratio, as do Anglos. c. Elections are nonpartisan, which means all voters cast a ballot in the same election, and thus Anglos are dominant.
- 5. In 1997 two Latinos won at-large for the first time since the new system was implemented in 1983 because:
- a. There were ONLY two Latinos running basically against seven non-Spanish surnamed candidates. b. Several candidates with Anglo surnames split the Anglo vote.
- 6. The 2007 and the 2009 city election had one major difference from the previous city elections since the 5-3-1 system was implemented in 1983 because this was the first time:
- a. That the mayor had been unopposed since 1983 both times. b. A Latino placed first at-large both times.
- 7. The spending percentages for the Texas budget are:
- a. Slightly above 32% for health and human services. b. About 44% for education.
- 8. When adjusted for population growth and inflation, the Texas budget since 1989 has increased:
- a. At a rate slightly lower than the federal budget during the same period. b. Only slightly.
- 9. Over half the net tax collections in the state budget of Texas come from:
- Sales tax
- 10. The severance tax:
- a. Occurs when minerals like oil and gas are pumped from underground. b. Brought in about 15% of the state’s revenue about two decades ago. c. Now constitutes less than 5% of the state’s revenue.
- 11. In one figure on “state rank and percentage of personal income collected as Taxes,†Texas ranked:
- a. Ranked 48th (in the latest edition 49th) b. Was one of only four states with less than 5% of personal income collected.
- 12. Compared to other states on a per capita basis, state revenues and spending in Texas: b/c
- b. were considerably lower. c. Ranked our state in the bottom ten.
- 13. Progressive taxes are:
- a. none (rate or %)
- 14. One study (Citizens for Tax Justice) presented in class showed that the following tax burden in Texas in 2002 was:
- a. About 11% for the poorest group (less than 15K) and 3.5% for the top group (over $300K). b. The percent of taxes paid declined at each of the higher income levels.
- 15. Class discussion on the number of teachers leaving the profession after just a few years indicated that:
- b. The workload teachers face is quite high
- 16. According to the authors public welfare is surrounded by more myths and misunderstanding than probably any other public service because:
- a. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and food stamps are seen as “unearned†b. The national government provides direct subsidies to business and tax breaks for corporations that far exceed TANF and food stamp costs (think of recent bailout also)
- 17. There is a mistaken impression that any poor person may be eligible for state public assistance benefits, but in reality:
- a. While about 3 million Texans fall below the poverty level, only 5% receive TANF b. .. c. Many poor people drive expensive cars.
- 18. Some resentment may be expected when shoppers waiting in grocery checkout lines to spend hard-earned cash see the customer ahead paying with food stamps funded by taxpayers and HOLD STEREOTPYES such as:
- a. There are many Cadillac drivers legally on Texas welfare rolls. b. Government benefits allow poor people a middle-class lifestyle. c. The average monthly TANF grant is considerably higher than the $240 per family
- 19. According to Maxwell and Crain Texans harbor prejudice against those who benefit from welfare benefit:
- a. A disproportionate number of welfare recipients are mothers of illegitimate children. b. A disproportionate number of welfare recipients are members of ethnic minority groups
- 20. Welfare recipients receive little sympathy or support from most Texas because the latter:
- b. Prefer to identify themselves with the economically secure rather than with the poor c. Believe that government should provide benefits, subsidies, or tax breaks for businesses as well as the middle class, but not the poor.
- 21. The following are true on states and a personal income tax:
- a. Seven states do not have this tax b. .. c. States without an income tax generally provide less government services than those with an income tax.
- 22. Major construction and repairs for ISDs occur:
- a. Through bonds, which have to be approved by voters. b. With bonds, which add to the property taxes district, residents must pay
- 23. The state-local partnership on education includes:
- a. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides the guidelines, the type of tests (TAAS, TAKS) and ¼ of the money for public elementary and secondary schools. b. Local ISDs provide the local control, direction, set of priorities. c. The local school board members are elected by a TEA panel.
- 24. In Texas public elementary and secondary education we have:
- a. The largest number of school districts, i.e., more than in any other state b. Unpaid school board members who are elected by the voters in the district c. Minimal coordination among school districts
- 25. School board trustees:
- a. Are individuals elected to give school districts the emphasis they believe most important b. Do not receive a salary
- 26. The EDGEWOOD V KIRBY case:
- a. Is where the Supreme Court found that Texas did not have a suitable and efficient school system b. Exposed the disparity of wealth per student in the poorest district versus the richest, which was a ratio of $1.40 (in the poorest district) for every $1,000 (in the richest district) c. Led to the “Robin Hood†plan.
- 27. Some find the following controversial topics with primary and secondary school textbooks:
- a. Ethnic diversity b. Evolution c. The role of women and minorities.
- 28. The number of institutions of higher education in Texas includes:
- a. 35 that are general (general meaning 4 years plus at least some graduate programs) b. Some technical institutions. c. 50 community colleges on 60 campuses.
- 29. The tuition costs for higher education in Texas:
- a. Paid for roughly 1/3 of operating costs for universities in 2001. b. Have increased rapidly in the past few years.
- 30. “Sin taxes†refer to:
- a. Alcohol and tobacco taxes b. Behavior that most leaders think should be regulated.
- 31. State leaders are concerned about students not continuing their education because:
- a. The growth of the states economy depends on a well-educated work force. b. More education is the traditional route to improving one’s life.
- 32. The highest % of students not continuing their education occurs with:
- c. Hispanics/Latinos
- 33. Texas highways are in good shape compared to those in other states but the prospects are dim because...
- a. Our state is now among the lowest in per capita funding for highways. b. It appears that our highways will begin to deteriorate due to lack of funding.
- 34. The Texas department of Transportation has followed state plans for highway funding by:
- a. Indication that we will implement more plans for public transportation. b. Recommending that we expand our highways with toll roads.
- 35. Positions in Texas where an appointed or elected official can support a family are:
- a. School board trustees. (MAY NOT BE RIGHT) b. City managers and county officials.
- 36. The following annual salaries are paid to our appointed and elected officials:
- a. That CCISD superintendent and the TAMUCC president both make $200,000. b. The Corpus Christi city manager makes at least $175,000 annually c. The mayor makes $9,000 and the council person makes $6,000 annually
- 37. Special districts in our area are: (cities are not special districts)
- b. The port c. The community college (Del Mar)
- 38. Our class survey showed that students:
- b. The overwhelmingly majority of students in this class voted by party identification c. At least 3 out of 4 (75%) of Anglos and Latinos were likely to support someone from their own ethnicity
- 39. The CHIEF role of the mayor in council manager form of government is to:
- c. Be the chief spokesperson and to provide an image for the city
- 40. The council-manager form of city government:
- a. Gives legislative power to the mayor and councilpersons. b. Gives administrative power to the city manager. c. Has little difference between the council members and the mayor except for the title his her symbolic role of providing an image, and presiding over council meetings.
- Results of the Class Surveryy!!
- N=178 1. N=178 2. The results represent our class only 3. Leans toward republican side 4. 5% black, 37% Hispanic, 53% Anglo, 5% other 5. Gender: 61% female, 39% male 6. Black-2 m 3F 7. His: gap 8. Anglo