Question 1

A requirement in federal legislation that forces states and municipalities to comply with certain rules is called a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

A federal mandate is a requirement or an order from the central government that all state and local governments must comply with.

Question 2

Currently, about of state and local revenue comes from the federal government.

Accepted Answer

Approximately 20 percent of state and local revenue comes from the federal government, as federal grants and funding contribute to state and local budgets but do not constitute the majority of their revenue.

Question 3

federalism can best be defined as the allocation of taxes collected by one level of government to another level.

Accepted Answer

Fiscal federalism refers to the financial relations between units of governments in a federal government system, specifically the allocation of taxes collected by one level of government to another.

Question 4

The cost of compliance with federal mandates is estimated to be about annually.

Accepted Answer

The cost of compliance with federal mandates is estimated to be about $29 billion annually.

Question 5

Which of the following pieces of legislation is an example of new federalism, or the devolution of power back to the states?

Accepted Answer

The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 is an example of new federalism as it gave states more authority over welfare programs, allowing them to design their own systems within federal guidelines.

Question 6

A is an allocation of funds by the federal government to states to implement broad areas of federal policy, such as welfare, criminal justice, or mental health. These funds allows the states some discretion as to how the funds are spent.

Accepted Answer

Block grants are allocations of funds by the federal government to states for broad purposes, allowing states discretion in spending.

Question 7

Grants of funds to the states from the national government are one way that the of the U.S. Constitution can be bridged by the federal government to control and influence the states.

Accepted Answer

The Tenth Amendment reserves powers to the states, but federal grants allow the national government to influence state policies, effectively bridging this amendment's limitations.

Question 8

A is an allocation of funds targeted for a specific purpose defined by federal law and targeted at state and local spending.

Accepted Answer

Categorical grants are allocations of funds targeted for a specific purpose defined by federal law and targeted at state and local spending.

Question 9

The requirement to balance their budgets is written into every state's constitution EXCEPT the state of .

Accepted Answer

Vermont is the only state in the US that does not have a balanced budget requirement in its constitution.

Question 10

When state or local governments offer lower taxes or more services in order to attract businesses and citizens, they are engaging in federalism.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of competitive federalism, where states or local governments compete with each other to attract businesses and residents by offering favorable conditions such as lower taxes or better services.

Quiz 3: Federalism