Question 1

It takes 2/3 vote to raise taxes and fees.What vote threshold must be reached to reduce taxes and fees?

Accepted Answer

A)  a simple majority (50% plus 1) 
B)  a supermajority of 55%
C)  a supermajority of 2/3 (66.6%) 
D)  a supermajority of ¾ (75%)

Question 2

The budget process occasionally follows the "textbook version." More often, permutations of the process occur.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Revenue is another word for:

Accepted Answer

A)  expenditures
B)  income
C)  funding levels
D)  spending commitments

Question 4

Californians pay among the lowest property tax rates but the highest sales tax rates among the U.S.states.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which of these tools has Governor Jerry Brown used to balance the state's annual budget?

Accepted Answer

A)  raising substantially the fees and penalties that drivers pay for traffic violations
B)  raising the excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol
C)  endorsing a proposition to temporarily raise the state sales tax by ¼ percent
D)  raising taxes on those on the bottom of the income scale

Question 6

The annual budget is a bill that must pass both houses of the legislature with a simply majority vote, and then be signed into law by the governor.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Proposition 98 dictates that approximately _________ percent of the general fund budget must go to fund K-14 education every year.

Accepted Answer

A)  10 percent
B)  20 percent
C)  40 percent
D)  60 percent

Question 8

Approximately how large is California's annual general fund budget?

Accepted Answer

A)  under $5 billion
B)  $25 billion
C)  $50 billion
D)  over $100 billion

Question 9

The state spends most of its annual budget on_________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  education and health and human services
B)  prisons and general government
C)  business, transportation, and housing
D)  interest on the debt

Question 10

In fiscal year 2015-16, the federal government was scheduled to transfer approximately $________ to the state government, as well as local governments.

Accepted Answer

A)  $100 billion
B)  $50 billion
C)  $1 billion
D)  $500 million

Question 11

Which state organization bears the largest responsibility for preparing the state budget?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Legislative Analyst
B)  the state Treasurer's Office
C)  the Senate Office of Research
D)  the Department of Finance

Question 12

Comparatively, Californians pay higher_______ than residents in other states, but lower _______ taxes.

Accepted Answer

A)  excise; income and corporate taxes
B)  property; sales
C)  income and corporate taxes; property
D)  sales; income and corporate taxes

Question 13

The recent voter-approved proposition that raised the state's sales tax by 1/4 % and was endorsed by Jerry Brown as necessary to keep education funded is:

Accepted Answer

A)  Prop 9
B)  Prop 140
C)  Prop 30
D)  Prop 8

Question 14

California's fiscal year begins _______ and ends _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  January 1; December 31
B)  April 1; March 31
C)  July 1; June 30
D)  October 1; September 30

Question 15

What vote threshold must be reached for the legislature to approve new taxes or raise fees?

Accepted Answer

A)  a plurality
B)  a simple majority (50 percent + 1) 
C)  a supermajority of 55 percent
D)  a supermajority of 2/3

Question 16

Voters passed a new law in 2010 that reduced the majority needed to pass the budget from a supermajority to a simple majority.In 2011, the legislature passed a budget on time for the first time in five years.This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A)  how rules help shape outcomes
B)  how a good economy in 2011 made legislators' decisions easy
C)  successful bipartisanship and compromise between the parties
D)  all of the above

Question 17

An "excise tax" is surcharge placed on:

Accepted Answer

A)  liquor, tobacco, and fuel
B)  property
C)  wages/income
D)  utilities

Question 18

When expenses exceed revenues, the state has:

Accepted Answer

A)  bonded debt
B)  a budget deficit
C)  debt
D)  excess revenue

Question 19

Considering property, income, corporate, excise, and sales taxes, California has the highest tax burden in the nation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

The top 1 percent of income-earners in California paid close to half of the state's total income taxes.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 8: The California Budget Process

Californians pay among the lowest property tax rates but the highest sales tax rates among the U.S.states.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Voters passed a new law in 2010 that reduced the majority needed to pass the budget from a supermajority to a simple majority.In 2011, the legislature passed a budget on time for the first time in five years.This is an example of:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Approximately how large is California's annual general fund budget?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The annual budget is a bill that must pass both houses of the legislature with a simply majority vote, and then be signed into law by the governor.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Proposition 98 dictates that approximately _________ percent of the general fund budget must go to fund K-14 education every year.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

An "excise tax" is surcharge placed on:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The state spends most of its annual budget on_________ .

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When expenses exceed revenues, the state has:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Considering property, income, corporate, excise, and sales taxes, California has the highest tax burden in the nation.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What vote threshold must be reached for the legislature to approve new taxes or raise fees?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

It takes 2/3 vote to raise taxes and fees.What vote threshold must be reached to reduce taxes and fees?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The budget process occasionally follows the "textbook version." More often, permutations of the process occur.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which state organization bears the largest responsibility for preparing the state budget?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Comparatively, Californians pay higher_______ than residents in other states, but lower _______ taxes.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

California's fiscal year begins _______ and ends _______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The top 1 percent of income-earners in California paid close to half of the state's total income taxes.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Revenue is another word for:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In fiscal year 2015-16, the federal government was scheduled to transfer approximately $________ to the state government, as well as local governments.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of these tools has Governor Jerry Brown used to balance the state's annual budget?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The recent voter-approved proposition that raised the state's sales tax by 1/4 % and was endorsed by Jerry Brown as necessary to keep education funded is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Comparatively, Californians pay higher_ than residents in other states, but lower _ taxes.

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California's fiscal year begins _ and ends _.

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