Question 1

From a state government perspective, which of the following is not considered a benefit of state mandates?

Accepted Answer

State mandates often do not consider the varying levels of resources available to different municipalities and counties, making it incorrect to assume all have the same resources to fund these mandates.

Question 2

Dillon's Rule established in 1868 that local governments may exercise only those powers

Accepted Answer

Dillon's Rule states that local governments can only exercise powers that are expressly granted to them by the state, clearly implied by these explicit powers, or absolutely essential to their declared objectives and purposes. This encompasses all the options provided.

Question 3

A homeowner's association that functions like a government by making rules for the speed limit on a community road or dictating the exterior color of a condo is known as a(n)

Accepted Answer

A homeowner's association that functions with rule-making authority similar to a government, but without being an official governmental body, is often referred to as a "shadow government." This term captures the idea that such organizations exert control or influence in a manner akin to governmental entities, despite not being formal parts of the public sector.

Question 4

Among the fifty states, the degree of authority granted to local governments

Accepted Answer

Dillon's rule states that local governments have only those powers that are expressly granted to them by the state constitution or by state law. This means that the degree of authority granted to local governments varies widely from state to state.

Question 5

Second-order devolution refers to

Accepted Answer

The answer of Second-order devolution refers to
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Question 6

Smart growth refers to

Accepted Answer

Smart growth is a planning and transportation theory that emphasizes managing urban sprawl and promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. It includes strategies to limit the outward expansion of cities and encourage more efficient and effective land use within existing urban areas.

Question 7

State mandates is a process where

Accepted Answer

State mandates often involve the state government directing local governments on how to address specific issues, aiming to ensure consistency and uniformity in policy implementation across various local jurisdictions. This can include setting standards or requirements that local governments must follow.

Question 8

The striking growth of shadow governments raises important questions about

Accepted Answer

Shadow governments often operate with limited transparency and accountability, controlling information and influence, which raises concerns about democratic governance and public oversight.

Question 9

The term that refers to development beyond the central city that is characterized by low population density, rapid land consumption, and dependence on the automobile is

Accepted Answer

Urban sprawl refers to the spread of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area, characterized by low population density, rapid land consumption, and high dependence on automobiles for transportation.

Question 10

Impact fees are best described as

Accepted Answer

Impact fees are charges levied on new developments to help cover the cost of providing public services to those developments, such as roads, schools, and parks. They are not taxes imposed on everyone, nor are they specifically designed to encourage urban sprawl or imposed on existing developments for smart growth.

Question 11

Measures that require states either to pay local governments for the costs of state mandates or to give local governments adequate revenue-raising capacity to pay for them are known as

Accepted Answer

Mandate-reimbursement requirements specifically refer to measures that ensure states either compensate local governments for the costs associated with state mandates or provide them with sufficient revenue-raising capabilities to cover these costs.

Question 12

As a result of the transformation of American metropolitan areas,

Accepted Answer

All of the choices accurately describe the transformation of American metropolitan areas, including the decline in the prominence of central cities, the movement of people and businesses to the suburbs and beyond, and the fundamental changes to the structure and function of metropolitan areas as a result of these shifts.

Question 13

If a state expressly grants a local government authority to pursue specific public policies, it can also take away that authority. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Dillon's Rule is a legal principle that holds that local governments can only exercise powers expressly granted to them by the state government. If the state has given local governments certain powers, it can also revoke those powers, reflecting the principle that local governments are creatures of the state.

Question 14

Maryland's policy to reward local governments that target new growth in areas that already have infrastructure, and denying state funding for infrastructure projects that encourage sprawl is an example of which type of policy?

Accepted Answer

Maryland's policy is an example of "Smart growth," which aims to concentrate growth in compact, walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and to foster sustainable communities that use resources efficiently.

Question 15

Building codes illustrate the variability of state-local authority. Which of the following options are true?

Accepted Answer

Building codes vary significantly across the United States, reflecting the diversity in how states and local governments approach regulation and enforcement. Some states have mandatory statewide codes with local enforcement, others have statewide codes without state oversight, and several rely solely on local codes without a comprehensive state code.

Question 16

States' departments of community affairs (DCAs)are specialized community agencies that

Accepted Answer

States' departments of community affairs (DCAs) primarily focus on providing a variety of programs and services to local governments, assisting them in community development, planning, and other areas to improve local governance and community well-being.

Question 17

The chronological order of the three waves of suburbanization are

Accepted Answer

The first wave involved automobiles enabling the development of suburbs, the second wave saw retail moving to these areas, and the third wave involved the growth of exit-ramp economies.

Question 18

Smart growth has the goal of all of the following except

Accepted Answer

Smart growth focuses on reducing reliance on cars by promoting higher density living, public transportation, and mixed-use developments, rather than encouraging more car ownership.

Question 19

Shadow governments typically are found in three forms, which include all of the following except

Accepted Answer

Shadow governments usually refer to entities that operate alongside traditional government structures and can influence or manage certain public functions or services. Nonprofit organizations like the American Red Cross and the League of Women Voters do not fit this description as they do not manage public functions or services in the same way; they are more focused on advocacy, support, and education rather than governance.

Question 20

The U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR)

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) was indeed abolished, but its legacy continues as many states have established their own ACIR organizations, drawing inspiration from the federal model.

Quiz 12: State Local Relations

From a state government perspective, which of the following is not considered a benefit of state mandates?