Question 1

Elected state executive officials are subject to which term limits?
A)one 4-year term
B)two 4-year terms,but they can run for the same office after a 6-year break
C)two 4-year terms,and they can never run for the same office again
D)none;they are not subject to term limits

Accepted Answer

Elected state executive officials are subject to two 4-year terms, and they can never run for the same office again. This is the case with most state governors, lieutenant governors, attorneys general, secretaries of state, and treasurers. However, some states may have different term limits for specific executive offices.

Question 2

The Board of Equalization consists of ______ members who are responsible for standardizing the tax systems in the state,as well as collecting excise taxes.
A)3
B)5
C)10
D)20

Accepted Answer

According to the California Board of Equalization website, the Board consists of 5 members who are responsible for standardizing the tax systems in the state and collecting certain taxes, including excise taxes.

Question 3

To whom are the constitutional executives accountable?
A)the people of California
B)the governor
C)the attorney general
D)no one

Accepted Answer

Constitutional executives, such as the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Controller, and Superintendent of Public Instruction, are ultimately accountable to the people of California as they are elected officials and their power is derived from the votes of the people.

Question 4

Which constitutional executive officer is responsible for managing the state's debt by selling and repaying bonds to investors,attempting to secure acceptable credit ratings,and maintaining the state's financial assets?
A)treasurer
B)controller
C)Member of the Board of Equalization
D)secretary of state

Accepted Answer

The Treasurer is responsible for managing the state's debt by selling and repaying bonds to investors, attempting to secure acceptable credit ratings, and maintaining the state's financial assets. This includes managing investment funds, collecting and depositing state revenues, and issuing payments to state vendors and employees. The other constitutional officers listed do not have direct responsibility for managing the state's debt and financial assets.

Question 5

The attorney general is also known as ______.
A)the state's chief law enforcement officer
B)head of the judicial branch
C)secretary of justice
D)the lieutenant governor

Accepted Answer

The attorney general is the state's chief law enforcement officer, responsible for representing the state in legal matters and enforcing state laws.

Question 6

Which executive office was gutted in 2017 by having most of its tax collection duties and 90% of its staff reassigned to new Department of Tax and Fee Administration?
A)the controller and treasurer
B)the treasurer
C)the State Board of Equalization
D)the controller only

Accepted Answer

The State Board of Equalization was gutted in 2017 by having most of its tax collection duties and 90% of its staff reassigned to the new Department of Tax and Fee Administration. The Controller and Treasurer are separate executive offices, and only the State Board of Equalization had this significant reorganization in 2017.

Question 7

What is fair to say about California's plural executive?
A)Cooperation among the executive officers is regular,and coordination among them is smooth.
B)State executives have big incentives to set aside their ideological differences.
C)Splintering authority among many offices provides checks against the concentration of power,but obscures accountability.
D)Despite their differences,a plural executive produces coherent,consistent policymaking and planning.

Accepted Answer

California's plural executive system divides power among several different elected officials, including the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and others. While this structure does offer some checks against the concentration of power in one office, it can also create confusion and lack of accountability. With many different officers sharing responsibility for different areas of governance, it can be difficult to discern who exactly is responsible for any given policy or action.

Question 8

Who is responsible for appointing members to more than 300 boards and commissions that share regulatory authority with the governor?
A)the governor
B)the secretary of state
C)the voters
D)the Assembly

Accepted Answer

As per the given information in the question, it is clear that the responsibility of appointing members to more than 300 boards and commissions that share regulatory authority with the governor lies with the governor himself/herself. Hence, option A is the correct choice for this question.

Question 9

Which state executive(s)equalize property taxes and collect excise taxes on alcohol?
A)the controller and treasurer
B)all 12 executive officers
C)the State Board of Equalization
D)the controller only

Accepted Answer

The State Board of Equalization is responsible for equalizing property taxes through the administration of the Property Tax System and also collects excise taxes on alcohol. The other choices are not correct as the controller and treasurer primarily deal with financial management and the 12 executive officers do not have specific responsibilities related to property taxes and alcohol excise taxes.

Question 10

All state executives have the duty to ______.
A)write laws
B)run elections and campaigns
C)carry out laws and policies
D)any of these

Accepted Answer

State executives are responsible for carrying out the laws and policies that are enacted by the legislative branch of the government. Writing laws is the responsibility of the legislative branch, and running elections and campaigns is the responsibility of the electoral commission or other independent regulatory bodies. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Question 11

Which organization within the executive branch is responsible for proposing and shaping the annual budget?
A)Legislative Counsel
B)Treasurer's Office
C)Controller's Office
D)Department of Finance

Accepted Answer

The Department of Finance is responsible for proposing and shaping the annual budget within the executive branch. The Legislative Counsel is responsible for providing legal services to the Legislature, and the Treasurer's and Controller's Offices are responsible for managing the state's finances, but they do not have a direct role in budget proposal and shaping.

Question 12

Which state constitutional officer's job is officially nonpartisan?
A)all of them are nonpartisan
B)attorney general
C)insurance commissioner
D)superintendent of public instruction

Accepted Answer

The job of Superintendent of Public Instruction is officially nonpartisan in the state of California. The other options (Attorney General and Insurance Commissioner) are elected positions that can be affiliated with political parties, although they are not required to be.

Question 13

After the 2016 elections,all but ______ of the constitutional executive officers were Democrats.
A)zero
B)two
C)six
D)eight

Accepted Answer

After the 2016 elections, all but one of the constitutional executive officers were Democrats. The only Republican was the Attorney General, Ken Paxton.

Question 14

The state constitutional officer who oversees all aspects of federal and state elections is the ______.
A)state clerk
B)county elections clerk
C)secretary of state
D)attorney general

Accepted Answer

The Secretary of State is the state constitutional officer who has the responsibility of overseeing all aspects of federal and state elections. They are responsible for coordinating and administering elections, maintaining a voter registration database, and ensuring election laws are followed. Options A, B, and D do not have this specific responsibility.

Question 15

California has a ______ executive,in which power is ______.
A)plural;split among several Constitutional officers
B)unitary;concentrated in the governor alone
C)singular;split between the governor and the department heads he appoints
D)none of these

Accepted Answer

California has a plural executive, which means that power is split among several Constitutional officers, including the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and state controller, among others. Each of these officers has specific responsibilities and authority, and they are independently elected by the people of California. This system is intended to provide checks and balances, as well as promote accountability and representation.

Question 16

The state constitutional officer who acts as the state's investment banker and bond manager is the ______.
A)secretary of state
B)controller
C)member of the Board of Equalization
D)treasurer

Accepted Answer

The treasurer is the state constitutional officer who acts as the state's investment banker and bond manager. The controller is responsible for keeping track of the state's financial records and auditing government agencies. The secretary of state is responsible for elections and maintaining official state documents, while the Board of Equalization is responsible for administering certain taxes and fees.

Question 17

What does the insurance commissioner's job entail?
A)collecting and disclosing all insurance company campaign donations to state politicians
B)reviewing and preapproving rates for car and homeowner insurance
C)disbursing checks to all state employees who sell goods and services to the state
D)sitting on the Tax Franchise Board and setting tax rates for insurance companies

Accepted Answer

The insurance commissioner's job involves reviewing and preapproving rates for car and homeowner insurance to ensure fairness and protect consumers. Collecting and disclosing campaign donations and disbursing checks to state employees are not directly related to the insurance commissioner's job responsibilities. The Tax Franchise Board is a separate entity responsible for setting tax rates.

Question 18

Approximately how many public employees comprise the state bureaucracy?
A)120,000
B)210,000
C)550,000
D)1.1 million

Accepted Answer

The answer of Approximately how many public employees comprise the...

Question 19

The state constitutional officer tasked with paying the state's bills and monitoring the state's financial condition is called the ______.
A)controller
B)member of the Board of Equalization
C)secretary of state
D)treasurer

Accepted Answer

The controller is responsible for handling the state's financial operations, including paying bills and overseeing the state's financial health.

Question 20

The length of an executive office's term is ______.
A)1 year
B)2 years
C)4 years
D)6 years

Accepted Answer

The length of an executive office's term is usually four years in most democratic countries, including the United States.

Quiz 5: The Executive Branch

Elected state executive officials are subject to which term limits?

The Board of Equalization consists of ______ members who are responsible for standardizing the tax systems in the state,as well as collecting excise taxes.

To whom are the constitutional executives accountable?

Which constitutional executive officer is responsible for managing the state's debt by selling and repaying bonds to investors,attempting to secure acceptable credit ratings,and maintaining the state's financial assets?

The attorney general is also known as ______.

Which executive office was gutted in 2017 by having most of its tax collection duties and 90% of its staff reassigned to new Department of Tax and Fee Administration?

What is fair to say about California's plural executive?

Who is responsible for appointing members to more than 300 boards and commissions that share regulatory authority with the governor?

Which state executive(s) equalize property taxes and collect excise taxes on alcohol?

All state executives have the duty to ______.

Which organization within the executive branch is responsible for proposing and shaping the annual budget?

Which state constitutional officer's job is officially nonpartisan?

After the 2016 elections,all but ______ of the constitutional executive officers were Democrats.

The state constitutional officer who oversees all aspects of federal and state elections is the ______.

California has a executive,in which power is .

The state constitutional officer who acts as the state's investment banker and bond manager is the ______.

What does the insurance commissioner's job entail?

Approximately how many public employees comprise the state bureaucracy?

The state constitutional officer tasked with paying the state's bills and monitoring the state's financial condition is called the ______.

The length of an executive office's term is ______.