Page 832.2
13th Ed. Carney, student learning outcomes and study guide (104.8)
California local Government AND PROPOSITION 13 (D)
After completing this section of study of 13th edition Carney, chapter 10, pages 75-85 and chapter 5, pages 40-42 top, 44 top, plus p. 34 end,
the student will be able to:
C. Explain the relationship of local government to the U.S. Constitution, the California
Constitution and state statutes [also called laws]. (See Carney, p.77 top)
C1. Does the U.S. Constitution create local governments? (p. 77 top)
C2. Does the California Constitution determine local governments? (p. 77 top)
C3. Do California statutes [also called laws] determine local governments? (p. 77 top)
C4. What level of government creates and regulates local units of government? (p. 77 top)
D. Explain the financial relationship between California and its local governments,
how it was affected by Proposition 13, and how it changed under Governor
Schwarzenegger. (See Carney, pp. 77 top and 79 top)
D1. Did the state of California loot its local government budgets? (p. 77 center)
D2. Did Proposition 13 cause local governments budgets to be overstretched? (p. 77 center)
D3. Proposition 13 denied local governments funds from ___________ taxes. (p. 77 center)
D4. Did Proposition 1A, supported by Governor Schwarzenegger, reduce or increase the
looting of the budgets of local governments budgets? (p. 79 top)
D5. Proposition 1A does not stop California from taking local funds in any real __________. (p.79 top)
E. State basic facts about and give examples of each one of the three levels of local
government and the officials elected by counties. (See Carney, p. 78 map for the ten
most southern California counties and pp. 79 center – 80 end and 81 end – 82 center)
E1. What are the three types [levels] of California local government? (p. 79 center)
E2. How many counties does California have? (p. 79 center)
E3. What is the most populous county in California? (p. 79 center)
E4. Each of California’s 58 counties is required to elect a governing body called a
___________ _________ __________. (p. 79 end)
E5. A sheriff and a district attorney are elected to serve a __________ (p. 79 end)
E6. There are about __________ cities in California? (p. 80 end)
E7. Most city funds are spent on __________ __________ (p. 80 end)
E8. __________ _______ are the most varied and numerous of all units of government (p. 81 end)
E10. List at least five examples of purposes served by special districts. (p. 82)
F. State the primary service(s) each one of the three levels of local government spends
the most funds to deliver. ( See Carney, pp. 79 end, 80 end, and 82 top)
F1. What are the two greatest county expenditures? (p. 79 end)
F2. On what do city governments spend the most revenue? (p. 80 end)
F3. What unit of local government has more annual financial transactions than the other
two levels of local government combined? (p. 82 top)
F4. Name at least six services provided by special districts. (p. 82 top)
G. Describe California regional governance and provide two examples of
voluntary associations of local government (Carney p.82 center)
G1. What are two types of problems that require regional solutions? (p. 82 center)
Answer: growth management, transportation
G2. What are three examples of growth management problems that may require regional
solutions through regional governance? (p. 82 center)
Answer: air quality, water management, waste management
G3. Are there regional governments that have the same power to tax as California
counties, cities and special districts have? (p. 82 end)
Answer: no
G4. What kind of problems do voluntary associations of governments deal with
in California? (p.82 end).
Answer: regional
G5. What are two examples of voluntary associations of governments that deal with
regional problems in California (p.82 footnote).
Answer: Sourthern California Association of Governments (SCAG),
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
H. Explain the purpose, justification for and effects of Proposition 13. (Carney, p. 41 top-center)
H1. Which three kinds of governments depended on property tax? (p. 41 top)
H2. Before Proposition 13, inflation caused tax assessments of real estate values and therefore,
taxes to increase, remain the same, or decrease? (p. 41 top)
H3. Before Proposition 13 massive increases in real estate values caused huge __________ in property taxes. (p. 41 top)
H4. Do owners of homes or do owners of commercial property receive most tax relief under Proposition 13? (p. 41 center)
H5. Do owners of homes or do owners of income property receive most tax relief under Proposition 13? (p. 41 center)
J. Explain the effects of Proposition 13, which part of government has the power to
change Proposition 13, and if it is likely to change (Carney, p. 41 end – 44 top)
J1. Do most homeowners support or oppose changing Proposition 13? (p. 41 end)
J2. Has the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Proposition 13? (pp. (p. 41 end – 42 top)
J3. Did the U.S. Supreme Court uphold or overturn Proposition 13? (p. 42 top)
J4. Does the legislature of California have the power to change Proposition 13? (p. 42 top)
J5. Is the legislature of California likely to eliminate or change Proposition 13? (p. 42 top)
J6. Has the ability of local governments to raise funds for health and human services been
reduced or increased since Proposition 13 became effective? (p. 44 top)
J7. _________ California governments spend funds on education, health and welfare. (p. 44 top)
J8. Before Proposition 13, _________ taxes raised funds for education, health and welfare (p. 44 top)
J9. Proposition 13 limited local __________ (p. 44 top)