POLS Exam 3

HOAs

Homeowners Associations; semi-official local governance bodies.

Dillon's Rule

Local governments derive powers from state government.

County Governments

Expansive local government structure in Texas.

Merit-based Civil Service

System of hiring based on qualifications, rare in Texas, 9/254.

Commissioners Court

County governance body with 4 elected officials and 4 precinct

Commissioners' Responsibilities

Manage roads, policies, and county government operations.

Privatization

Transfer of public services to private entities.

Economic Development Corporations

Entities promoting local economic growth and development.

Independent School Districts

Local education authorities operating independently.

Municipal Utility Districts

Special districts providing utility services to residents.

City Formation

Requires 200 people and 10% voter support.

City Charters

Local constitutions governing city operations.

Fiscal Policy

Government spending and taxation decisions.

Monetary Policy

Central bank actions to manage economy.

Agenda Setting

Identifying and prioritizing public issues.

Policy Formation

Creating legislative or regulatory solutions.

Policy Adoption

Legislative action and voting.

Policy Implementation

Establishing policy via a variety of government agencies.

Policy Evaluation

Analyzing effectiveness of implemented policies.

Redistributive Policy

Transfers resources from one group to another.

Distributive Policy

Costs spread widely across the population.

Regulatory Policy

Rules governing individuals and corporations.

Subsidies

Financial incentives to support specific industries.

Texas Taxes

No income tax; relies on various other taxes.

Sales Tax

General tax on goods; 6.25% to 8.25%.

Gas Tax

20 cents per gallon; unchanged since 1992.

Severance Tax

Tax on extraction of natural resources.

Franchise Tax

Tax on business profits; 6.5% rate.

Sin Tax

Tax on harmful goods; contributes to state revenue.

Property Tax

Tax based on property value; funds local services.

Ad Valorem Tax

Tax based on assessed property value.

Progressive Tax

Tax rate increases with income level.

Regressive Tax

Tax rate remains constant, affecting lower incomes more.

Federal Revenue

One-third to half of Texas state budget.

Receivership State

Receives more federal funds than it pays.

Military Contracts

Government agreements for defense-related services.

Agricultural Subsidies

Financial support for farmers from the government.

Student Loans

Federal loans to assist students in education.

FAFSA

Federal aid application for student financial assistance.

Lottery Revenue

Generated $5.1 billion in 2017 for education.

Hazelwood Act

Provides college scholarships for veterans' families.

Pay-as-you-go System

Budgeting method requiring current revenue for expenses.

Comptroller

State official estimating budgets and overseeing finances.

Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF)

Texas's savings account for emergencies.

Fiscal Year

State budget period from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31.

Zero Balance Budgeting

Agencies spend all remaining funds by year-end.

Tax Expenditures

Tax reductions for specific businesses or periods.

Tax Holidays

Periods with no sales tax for certain items.

Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF)

$555 million fund to attract businesses to Texas.

Privatizing Profits

Businesses keep profits while socializing losses.

Texas Economy Pillars

Oil, defense, beef, and technology sectors.

Gilmer-Aikin Act

Established 12 years of mandatory schooling.

Permanent School Fund (PSF)

$29 billion fund providing interest to schools.

Delgado v. Bastrop ISD

Case eliminating Hispanic school segregation.

Robin Hood Plan

Failed funding redistribution to equalize school resources.

Education Reform Act of 1984

Mandated teacher competency and student testing.

No-pass, no-play Rule

Students must pass to participate in sports.

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)

Oversees statewide policies for higher education.

Board of Regents

Appointed members overseeing individual universities.

TAAS, TAKS, STAAR

Texas standardized tests evolving over decades.

Generational Loss

Impact of changing tests on educational funding.

Hobby Lobby Case

Religious beliefs impacting contraceptive coverage.

RFRAs

Religious Freedom Restoration Acts affecting business policies.

PUF

Permanent University Fund, $19.9 billion for A&M and UT.

Morrill Grant

Funding source for Texas universities from land grants.

Tuition Increase

Tuition rose 100% from 2003 to 2017.

Privatized Student Loans

Loans became privatized in the 1970s, regulated.

Sallie Mae

Private entity post-1990s deregulation of student loans.

Student Debt

42 million Americans owe $1.3 trillion as of 2017.

Debt Forgiveness

Could stimulate economy through increased cash flow.

Economic Growth

Increased opportunities from reduced student debt.

TANF

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, state-issued aid.

SNAP

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for food aid.

Poverty Rate

Texas has significantly higher poverty than national average.

Texas Expenditures

$42 billion per year through 68 agencies.

Lone Star Card

Texas benefits card for low-income assistance.

WIC

Women, Infants, and Children program for nutritional aid.

Self-Sustaining Attitude

Texas historically provides little assistance due to this.

Per Capita Income

Texas income is below national average.

Poverty Areas

1 in 3 Texans live in poverty-stricken areas.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Federal assistance for low-income families' food needs.

$73 per month per recipient

Monthly SNAP benefit amount for individuals.

20 hours a week for work

Minimum work requirement for SNAP eligibility.

1.4 million families

Number of families receiving SNAP in Texas.

$274 per month per family

Average SNAP benefit for families in Texas.

Plyler vs Doe

1982 Supreme Court case on education for undocumented children.

Texas Dream Act

2001 law granting in-state tuition for undocumented students.

$1.16 billion cost to the state

Annual cost of undocumented immigrants to Texas.

$1.58 billion pay

Economic contribution of undocumented immigrants in Texas.

$69.3 billion loss

Economic impact of immigrant absence in Texas.

Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)

Texas's independent energy grid operator.

Fracking

Process of extracting natural gas from shale formations.

Rule of capture

Property owners own water beneath their land.

70,000 acre reservoir

Proposed water supply project for Dallas.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

State agency overseeing environmental regulations.

Texas flexible permits

Pollution regulation based on facility-wide emissions.

Negative externalities

Unintended environmental costs from economic activities.

Andrews County waste site

Radioactive waste site accepting waste from 38 states.

Ogallala Aquifer

Largest aquifer in North America, vital for agriculture.

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)

Agency responsible for transportation infrastructure in Texas.