Government decisions regarding revenues, expenditures, and borrowing are referred to as
fiscal policy
Texas has generally resisted using all of the following to balance the budget, except
reducing agency funding
The traditional Texas fiscal policy is the achievement of a balanced budget through
low taxes and low levels of public spending
Most Texans have indicated in numerous polls that they prefer __________ taxation
regressive
Taxes that are a greater burden on lower incomes and less so on higher incomes are known as
regressive taxes
Taxes that rely more heavily on revenues from higher incomes are known as
progressive taxes
Texas has one of the most __________ state tax systems in the United States
regressive
Which of the following is not a source of revenue for Texas state government?
State income tax
Which group of Texans pays the most in taxes proportional to their income?
Poorest 20 percent
Most non-farm jobs in Texas are in the general area of
service providing
The Texas state tax mandated on the revenue of many businesses is the
franchise tax
The "pay-as-you-go" system means that the Texas legislature must
not pass a deficit budget
The fund that measures the state's fiscal health is the
general revenue fund
The fund available to the Texas legislature for general appropriations purposes is called the
general revenue fund
More than half of the expenditures in Texas are paid from
dedicated funds
Regarding fiscal policy, the Texas Constitution requires that the
state's spending should be in balance with projected state revenues
In response to pressure from small businesses, the state legislature recently
reduced the franchise tax for many businesses
The tax that produces the most significant amount of revenue in Texas is the
general sales tax
The online retailer Amazon must collect sales taxes on items consumers purchase because
?it has facilities in the state of Texas
So-called "sin taxes" are levies placed on
alcohol, mixed drinks, and tobacco
The state of Texas provides workers compensation under monies collected from
payroll taxes
The unemployment compensation system is supported by
a payroll tax
Which of the following classes of corporations has the least business tax burden?
Banking companies
Most taxes in Texas are administered by the
comptroller of public accounts
Where does Texas rank among the states in the tax burden on its citizens?
Near the bottom
A state tax levied on a natural resource taken from the earth is the
severance tax
If someone fails to claim their prize from the Texas Lottery within 180 days after a drawing the money is used to fund
hospitals for indigent care
Grants-in-aid are defined as
money from the federal government to the state
Which state program in Texas does not receive substantial federal funding?
Teacher retirement
As a result of a lawsuit filed by the State of Texas over tobacco related illnesses, the American tobacco industry must pay
$18 billion in damages
The largest share of public land revenue in Texas is derived from
oil lease fees and royalties
The investment of state funds is currently handled by the
comptroller of public accounts
In order for Texas to increase its bond debt, approval must be given by the
voters of Texas
A bond whose repayment is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the state is a
general obligation bond
Texas may accrue state debt when it
issues general obligation or revenue bonds
Another name for the state's Economic Stabilization Fund is the
rainy day" fund
The state's Economic Stabilization Fund is
sometimes called the "rainy day" fund
The fiscal biennium in Texas begins on
September 1 of odd-numbered years
Unlike the federal budget, a budget passed by the Texas legislature
authorizes spending for a two-year period
Arguably the most influential budgeting organization in Texas is the
Legislative Budget Board
The "dual budgeting" system in Texas means that both
the governor and the legislature draw up budget proposals
In Texas, projected revenue levels are provided to the governor and legislature by the
state comptroller of public accounts
After the legislature approves a biennial budget, the governor cannot sign it until
the comptroller certifies the state will collect sufficient revenue to cover the expenditures
Approximately what percentage of state expenditures goes to all education funding in Texas?
35-40 percent
Approximately what percentage of state expenditures goes to Health and Human Services funding?
35-40 percent
The second largest single expenditure item by functional class of the Texas government is
public elementary and secondary education
Most major agency purchases are made through or are supervised by the
Texas Procurement and Support Services
Which of the following task(s) does the comptroller's office oversee?
Issuing checks to pay state obligations
Which agency takes reservations for football tailgating on state property in Austin?
?The Texas Facilities Commission
State accounts are audited under the direct supervision of the
state auditor
The state auditor is appointed by and serves at the will of the
Legislative Audit Committee
Which of the following determines if state agencies have spent public funds in accordance with law?
The State Auditor's Office
What amount of state funding for public schools is provided by the Foundation School Fund?
More than 70 percent
The Robin Hood Plan is an attempt to equalize funding among
public schools
Which factor will increase the state's outcomes-based funding to a community college?
An increase in the number of students successfully completing courses
Which area of the state is home to the newest regional comprehensive university?
The Rio Grande Valley
he state's largest financial aid program is the
?Texas Grant Program (Toward Excellence, Access, and Success
Parents may lock in the cost of future tuition and fees at a state university or college through
Texas Tomorrow Fund
Compared to the rest of the nation, the number of children without health insurance coverage in Texas is
the highest
The program acronym CHIP stands for
Children's Health Insurance Program
The problem with denying CHIP benefits to children is that it involves
a reduction of federal money to the state
Which statement best characterizes the status of Texas highways?
Large sums of money are currently needed for highway repair and maintenance
The "toilet-to-tap" program describes
the recycling of toilet water for human consumption
According to the Texas Transportation Commission, the newest means of financing Texas highways is the use of
money collected from tolls