CMO Public Policy & Administration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which policy tool allows a municipality to regulate land use by separating commercial, residential, and industrial areas?
- Eminent domain
- Zoning ordinance (Correct answer)
- Tax increment financing
- General plan amendment
Correct answer: Zoning ordinance
Zoning ordinances divide a municipality into districts that specify permitted land uses for each area.
Question 2: A city council is considering a policy with significant environmental impacts. Under NEPA, which document is typically required first?
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- Environmental Assessment (EA) (Correct answer)
- Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
- Categorical Exclusion
Correct answer: Environmental Assessment (EA)
An Environmental Assessment is the initial screening document used to determine whether a full EIS is needed.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a municipal code of ethics?
- To set employee compensation rates
- To establish standards of conduct preventing conflicts of interest (Correct answer)
- To define procurement thresholds
- To authorize budget amendments
Correct answer: To establish standards of conduct preventing conflicts of interest
A code of ethics establishes behavioral standards for officials and employees to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure public trust.
Question 4: Which budgeting approach starts each budget cycle from zero, requiring departments to justify all expenditures anew?
- Incremental budgeting
- Performance-based budgeting
- Zero-based budgeting (Correct answer)
- Program budgeting
Correct answer: Zero-based budgeting
Zero-based budgeting requires each department to justify every line item from scratch rather than simply adjusting prior-year figures.
Question 5: When a municipality contracts with a private firm to deliver a public service previously provided by city employees, this is called:
- Privatization through divestiture
- Competitive sourcing / outsourcing (Correct answer)
- Intergovernmental agreement
- Public-private partnership concession
Correct answer: Competitive sourcing / outsourcing
Competitive sourcing or outsourcing transfers service delivery to a private contractor while the municipality retains oversight and policy control.
Question 6: Which administrative law principle requires agencies to provide notice and an opportunity to comment before adopting new rules?
- Sovereign immunity
- Delegated legislation doctrine
- Notice-and-comment rulemaking (Correct answer)
- Exhaustion of administrative remedies
Correct answer: Notice-and-comment rulemaking
Notice-and-comment rulemaking, rooted in the APA, requires agencies to publish proposed rules and accept public comment before finalization.
Question 7: A municipal administrator wants to measure whether a new recycling program is achieving its intended environmental goals. Which evaluation type best fits?
- Process evaluation
- Needs assessment
- Outcome evaluation (Correct answer)
- Cost-benefit analysis
Correct answer: Outcome evaluation
An outcome evaluation measures whether a program achieved its intended goals, such as increased recycling rates.
CMO Public Policy & Administration 2
Which policy tool allows a municipality to regulate land use by separating commercial, residential, and industrial areas?