ss.8.CG.2.10 State & Local Problems (Assessment #s)

Who would a citizen contact about a problem with city roads?

• the county commissioner 

• the president 

• the governor 

• the mayor 

Answer explanation

The mayor is the chief executive of cities and would be responsible for addressing a problem with city roads.

A is Incorrect- County governments are local governments. However, county governments would not be responsible for addressing a city-level issue, such as repairing city roads.

B is Incorrect- The president is the country's chief executive officer and would not be responsible for addressing a local government issue such as repairing city roads.

C is Incorrect- The governor is the chief executive of a state and would not be responsible for addressing a local government issue such as repairing city roads.

Which level of government would be involved in making decisions about trash pick-up services?

• state
• local 

• federal 

• international 

Answer explanation

Trash collection services are provided by the city government. The local government would make decisions on this matter.

A is Incorrect – The state government makes decisions for the state as a whole; therefore, the state would not make decisions about trash pick-up at the city or county level.

C is Incorrect – The federal government makes decisions for the nation as a whole; therefore, the federal government would not make trash pick-up decisions on the city or county level.

D is Incorrect – There is no international level of government that would make decisions about trash pick-up services for a city or county.

A community in Florida is considering fee rates for utilities. Evelyn, a resident,

is preparing to argue against it at the next civic meeting. 

To which public officials should Evelyn present her argument about changes to utility fee rates?

• Homeowner’s Association 

• County Commission 

• Governor’s Cabinet 

• U.S. Congress 

Answer explanation

The local government provides utility services; therefore, the County Commission would be the best place for Evelyn to present her point of view.

A is Incorrect- While a change in utility fees might impact a neighborhood, the Homeowner’s Association would not have the power to change the service for a city or county.

C is Incorrect- The Governor’s Cabinet would not be the best first choice to meet with as they help the Governor make decisions for the state as a whole; 

therefore, the Governor’s Cabinet would not make decisions for a specific city or county regarding utilities.

D is Incorrect- The U.S. Congress is responsible for making laws for the nation. Therefore, it would not make city or county-level decisions focusing on utility fees.

This scenario describes a safety issue. 

Some parents believe crosswalks should be installed at a residential intersection

for the safety of children who walk to and from school. 

Which level of government should be contacted to propose this change?

• national 

• regional 

• local 

• state 

Answer explanation

Crosswalks are provided by the city government. The local government would make decisions on this matter.

A is Incorrect- The national government makes decisions for the nation as a whole; therefore, the national government would not be contacted about crosswalks.

B is Incorrect- There is no regional level of government that would make decisions about crosswalks for a city or county.

D is Incorrect- The state government makes decisions for the state as a whole; therefore, the state would not make decisions about crosswalks at the city or county level.

Luis and Isabelle are frustrated there isn’t a crosswalk near their neighborhood for

all the students who walk home from school. 

Which of the following is an example of an appropriate course of action

these students could take to address their concerns?

• send an email to their U.S. senator

• propose a plan at a city council meeting

• hold a fundraiser and use the money to make their own crosswalk

• ask a local police officer to ban vehicles from this road during school hours

Answer explanation

Crosswalks are provided by the city government. The local government would make decisions on this matter.

A is Incorrect- The U.S. Senator represents their state at the national level. Crosswalks would not be an issue that they would bring to the Senate floor.

C is Incorrect- The city would still need to 

approve/deny any and all changes made to roadways in their city. Funds would likely not be the obstacle to overcome.

D is Incorrect- Local police officers do not have the ability to ban vehicles from a road every day during school hours.

Shrimp and seafood industries in Florida are concerned about the freshwater supply from Georgia.

If the freshwater supply is reduced, Florida’s shrimp and seafood industries could be harmed. 

Which type of government agency would be responsible for resolving this dispute?

• federal executive agency 

• state legislative agency 

• federal judicial agency 

• state judicial agency 

Answer explanation

Agencies created to address regulation concerns are located within the executive branch of government; because this issue involves two different states, the national government would be responsible for resolving this dispute.

B is Incorrect- Agencies created to address regulation concerns are not located within the legislative branch but would be located in the executive branch. As the conflict involves two states, the federal government and not the state governments would address this concern.

C is Incorrect- Agencies created to address regulation concerns are located within the executive branch of government and not the judicial branch of government.

D is Incorrect- Because the issue involves two states, a federal court may be called upon to resolve this issue, although agencies are not located within the judiciary branch.

This newspaper headline describes a course of action taken by a local government. 

Which public policy problem was this ordinance meant to address?

• Local economic 

  opportunities were being affected by protests.

• Local businesses were 

  being affected by protests.

• Public education was being affected by protests.

• Public safety was being affected by protests.

Answer explanation

People gathering near homes and creating a disturbance with a protest may create a threat to public safety.

A is Incorrect- Economic impact would not be a consideration in banning protests near homes.

B is Incorrect- The headline does not refer to businesses; the headline refers to homes.

C is Incorrect- The headline does not refer to education or schools; the headline refers to homes.

Which public policy alternative might reduce the need for canned food drives?

• Increase funding to public schools to add meals and snacks.

• Require restaurants to 

  distribute food at no cost to needy persons.

• Require grocery stores to make lower-cost canned foods available.

• Increase funding for soup manufacturers to reduce the cost of their supply.

Answer explanation

Increased funding for public school lunches would address hunger among children.

B is Incorrect- Because they are private businesses, restaurants cannot be required to distribute free goods or services.

C is Incorrect- Governments cannot regulate the cost of food sold by a private business.

D is Incorrect- The government does not fund private businesses.

The mayor of Jacksonville decides that she is going to build a dam in the St. Johns River that will prevent fresh water from flowing to neighboring counties. Without fresh water, the agriculture in these nearby counties will suffer and wildlife could be harmed. 

Who is responsible for solving this debate?

• state judiciary 

• state legislature 

• federal judiciary 

• federal executive 

Answer explanation

The state judiciary is responsible for handling disputes among two or more counties.

B is Incorrect- The state legislature makes laws but doesn’t solve disputes.

C is Incorrect- The federal judiciary is responsible for handling disputes between two or more states or between the states and the national government.

D is Incorrect- The federal executive has the responsibility of carrying out laws across the nation and can help settle disputes among two or more states. Because the federal executive is not responsible for handling disputes within a state, the state judiciary would be responsible.

The governor has proposed an idea for a new law in Florida that will require kindergarten

students to pass a difficult test to be promoted to first grade. Parents of kindergarteners in

Florida are very upset about this new bill. 

Which state agency would be the best for parents to contact to voice their concerns about this issue?

• Florida Department of 

  Transportation

• Florida Department of 

  Education

• Florida Department of 

  Revenue

• Florida Department of 

  Justice

Answer explanation

The Department of Education is a state agency that handles issues related to public school children, such as standardized testing requirements.

A is Incorrect- The Department of Transportation is a state agency that handles the construction of road development and maintenance.

C is Incorrect- The Department of Revenue is a state agency that handles the collection of tax dollars.

D is Incorrect- The Department of Justice is a state agency that handles issues related to trial proceedings and prosecuting criminals.