Question 1

What is smart growth?

Accepted Answer

Smart growth refers to government efforts to limit urban sprawl by managing its growth and impact. This approach involves promoting walkable communities, mixed-use development, and public transportation in order to create more sustainable and livable cities. It also seeks to preserve natural resources and promote environmental sustainability. Option A is incorrect because suburban office space is not necessarily part of smart growth strategies. Option B is incorrect because enterprise zones are a separate concept that may be used in conjunction with smart growth but are not the same thing. Option C may be a component of smart growth, but it is not the primary focus.

Question 2

What is second-order devolution?

Accepted Answer

Second-order devolution refers to the transfer of power and responsibilities from state governments to local governments.

Question 3

_____ is an area-wide structure for local governance, designed to replace multiple jurisdictions.

Accepted Answer

A regional government is an area-wide structure for local governance that is designed to replace multiple jurisdictions. It is a form of government that covers a larger area than a typical city or county and can include multiple cities or counties within its boundaries. Unlike a shadow government, which operates outside of official channels, or an ordinance, which is a specific law or regulation, a regional government is a comprehensive system of governance for a larger area. A mandate is a directive or order given by a higher authority, and while a regional government may be established by a mandate, it is not an accurate description of what it is.

Question 4

In the United States, the closest thing to a regional government is

Accepted Answer

City-county consolidation refers to the merging of city and county governments into a single unit, resulting in a regional government. This occurs in certain areas of the United States where cities and their surrounding counties share a similar economic, social, and geographic identity. This governmental structure allows for better coordination of services and resources across a larger geographic region. Therefore, D is the closest thing to a regional government in the United States.

Question 5

How has the transformation of American metropolitan areas impacted central cities?

Accepted Answer

The transformation of American metropolitan areas, which includes suburbanization and decentralization, has caused central cities to lose some of their prominence as the social, economic, and political focal points of their areas. As people and businesses have moved to the suburbs, central cities have experienced declines in population, employment, and tax revenue. While some central cities have made efforts to revitalize their downtown areas, they have not regained their former dominance.

Question 6

The amount and type of authority that states give their local governments is

Accepted Answer

The amount and type of authority given to local governments vary greatly from state to state, and there is no standardized model or federal guideline governing this. Each state decides the level of authority that its local governments have.

Question 7

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 are measures that require states to reimburse local governments for the costs of state mandates or give adequate revenue-raising capacity to pay for them. This helps to prevent unfunded mandates, which are state mandates that do not provide funding to the local government for implementation. Pay-to-play requirements are unrelated to this topic and regional-coordinated government revenue sharing is not the appropriate term for these measures.

Question 8

The three waves of suburbanization occurred in which of the following orders?

Accepted Answer

The first wave was the development of outlying areas due to the increase in automobile use. The second wave was the emergence of retail stores in these outlying areas. Finally, the third wave was the development of exit ramp economies where businesses located near highway exits to take advantage of both local and interstate customers.

Question 9

In 1997, Maryland enacted a policy rewarding local governments that target new growth in areas that already have infrastructure, and denied state funding for infrastructure projects that encourage sprawl. This is an example of _____ policy.

Accepted Answer

The policy described rewards local governments for targeting new growth in areas that already have infrastructure and denies state funding for infrastructure projects that encourage sprawl. This aligns with the goals and principles of smart growth, which aims to promote sustainable, equitable, and efficient development patterns. Smart growth policies prioritize compact, walkable communities with mixed land uses and access to public transportation, while discouraging sprawl and auto-dependent development. Maryland's policy is a good example of a state-level smart growth policy that encourages local governments to plan for growth in smarter, more sustainable ways.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

The description provided corresponds closely with the concept of urban sprawl, which is characterized by low-density development that spreads outward from the central city and relies heavily on automobile transportation. Edge cities (A) refer specifically to large, independent commercial and employment centers located on the fringe of metropolitan areas, while edge sprawl (B) is not a recognized term. Inelastic cities (C) is not a commonly used term in urban studies or planning.

Question 11

State departments of community affairs (DCAs) are specialized community agencies that

Accepted Answer

State departments of community affairs (DCAs) are specialized community agencies that offer a range of programs and services to local governments. These services may include housing assistance, community development, economic development, and disaster response and recovery.

Question 12

Many state constitutions set forth a provision for _____, which, although it falls short of actual local self-government, is an important step in the direction of greater local decision making.

Accepted Answer

The provision described in the question is home rule. Dillon's rule and Compton's rule are legal principles related to local government authority, but do not provide for greater local decision making. Gerrymandering is a term related to the drawing of political district boundaries and is not relevant to the question.

Question 13

Impact fees are BEST described as

Accepted Answer

Impact fees are charged on new development to offset some of the costs of providing services such as utilities, roads, and public safety. They are not standard taxes or fees that encourage urban sprawl, nor are they imposed on existing retail developments to encourage smart growth.

Question 14

Which of the following is a criticism of regional government?

Accepted Answer

Regional government does not necessarily lead to reduced costs of government as it may still require the same or even greater amount of administrative resources. In fact, there may be additional costs associated with merging existing jurisdictions or creating new ones, which may lead to higher taxes or fees for citizens.

Question 15

_____, which is enacted by the governing body, is the local government equivalent of law.

Accepted Answer

An ordinance is a local government law that is enacted by a governing body, such as a city council or county board of supervisors. It typically regulates behavior or actions within the jurisdiction, such as zoning regulations, traffic rules, or building codes.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about the state mandate process is true?

Accepted Answer

The state mandate process involves the state imposing a solution to a problem to achieve a desirable goal and ensuring uniformity of policy among its local governments. Local governments may have some flexibility in implementing these mandates, but the overall goal is to have consistency throughout the state. Sufficient funding may not always be provided to address these problems. The state mandate process is not solely based on guidance from the federal government, although federal policies may have an impact on state mandates. The state does provide guidance, but the ultimate decision-making power rests with the state.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

State mandates do not always ensure that all municipalities and counties have the same resources to fund mandated policies, as some may have more resources or face different financial circumstances. The other options listed are generally considered benefits of state mandates.

Question 18

City-county consolidations were once thought to be the wave of the future, but to date there are only _____ cities and counties that have consolidated.

Accepted Answer

There are thirty-three cities and counties that have consolidated, reflecting a trend that has not been as widespread as once anticipated.

Question 19

Local governments may exercise only those powers explicitly granted to them by the state. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Dillon's rule is a legal principle that states that local governments possess only the powers conferred upon them by their state government. This means that they cannot exercise any powers that are not explicitly granted to them by the state. In contrast, the home rule principle allows local governments to exercise broader powers beyond those granted by the state constitution or laws. However, not all states have adopted home rule.

Question 20

Local officials have offered several suggestions for fixing the issues associated with state mandates. Which of the following is one of these suggestions?

Accepted Answer

Local officials suggest that giving greater flexibility to localities in implementing the provisions of mandates would help to address the issues associated with state mandates. This could allow localities to tailor the implementation of mandates to their specific needs and abilities, rather than being forced to comply with a one-size-fits-all approach.

Quiz 10: State Local Relations