State and Local Governments

This is the usual device by which new State constitutions are written and older ones are revised.

• constitutional conventions
• public initiative 
• selection by legislations
• governor committee

Why are state constitutions long?

• desire to be thorough
• distrust of the government
• stress on fundamental law
• separation of fundamental law from statutory law

The fundamental laws each State are

• established by the governor
• determined by the State courts
• never subject to change
• the State Constitution 

Most State legislatures today are 

• unicameral
• nonpartisan
• bicameral
• relatively powerless

In 27 States, voters may propose the passage of laws by

• initiative
• write-in ballot
• optional referendum
• mandatory referendum

How can voters remove an elected official from office before the completion of his or her regular term?

• referendum
• initiative
• recall
• commutation

The form of law enacted both by the people, through referendum or initiative, and by legislative bodies is called

• constitutional law
• statutory law
• common law
• equity

Most State constitutions need reform because they are

• too long
• too old
• unclear about the difference between fundamental and statutory law
• All are correct 

Property taxes are largely local taxes in part because

• States have already imposed income and sales taxes
• otherwise, they would be regressive taxes
• it is easiest for local governments to assess property
• why not

As State governments have increased funding to public schools, they have also

• shifted the responsibility for maintaining high quality in schools to local governments
• increased their involvement in education
• reduced property taxes
• reduced the number of public schools