14 Jan FEMA and state emergency agencies

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 1 Discussion

DQ1 FEDERALISM

What is federalism? How does it compare to a unitary system? How does it compare to a confederation?

DQ2 STATE/FEDERAL CONFLICTS

Have you noted any recent conflicts between a state (i.e., the state where you live) and the federal government? Even if a current dispute does not come to mind, do you feel that issues such as economic problems and health reform can lead to conflicts?

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 2 Discussion

DQ1 THEORIES OF FEDERALISM

What is meant by dual federalism? When did this view of the relationship between the federal and state governments first develop? Is this theory still prevalent today?

DQ2 FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

How and why are executive departments created? Which ones were created in the early years of our nation?

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 3 Discussion

DQ1 WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY GOVERNMENTS?

In your opinion, why do we have so many different governments in the United States of America? For example, have you ever noticed how many governments exist where you live? If so, please pick one and explain why, in your view, it exists.

DQ2 COMPARE/CONTRAST DILLON’S RULE AND HOME RULE

How did Dillon’s rule come about? Is it still in effect today in some states? How is home rule an alternative, and is it available in all states?

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 4 Discussion

DQ1 GOVERNMENT REVENUES

Taxes are a primary source of government revenue. What types of tax do you notice in your daily life? For example, is there a state income tax in your state? What about sales taxes?

DQ2 FEDERAL FUNDING

The federal government provides funding to state and local governments in various ways. Let’s start with some basics to see how this may be done. To start, what is a grant? How does a grant differ from a loan?

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 5 Discussion

DQ1 PUBLIC POLICY

What is meant by the term public policy? Is there such a thing as good or bad public policy?

DQ2 STRATEGIC PLANNING

What are some of the difficulties in strategic planning? Are some of those challenges unique in the context of a governmental agency?

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 6 Discussion

DQ1 ETHICS LAWS AND RULES

In your opinion, can ethics be legislated? For instance, can we have laws that cover all possible scenarios?

DQ2 CODE OF ETHICS

What is a code of ethics? What is the role of a code of ethics in public administration? Who do you think should establish a code: an agency, the overall government, or an outside organization?

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 7 Discussion

DQ1 PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS

What methods are available for evaluating the performance of an agency?

DQ2 ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICS

In your opinion, how is accountability intertwined with ethics? Why do you feel this way?

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 3 You Decide

Scenario, Your Role, Key Players

You Decide

Scenario

Due to budget problems, a number of programs have had to be eliminated at the publicly supported universities in your state. One result is that certain specific majors are no longer available at any of those universities. Each of those majors is offered, though, at a state university in a neighboring state. Conversely, your state’s institutions offer certain majors not available in that other state. An analyst in the state’s higher education department has advocated that an agreement be entered with the neighboring state to allow reciprocity on in-state tuition for those programs. The executive director of the department is enthusiastic and wants to expand the concept to an interstate compact covering other areas of mutual interest. The speaker of the state house of representatives, however, has already stated her opposition to any such arrangements.

Your Role

You are a member of the staff of the governor’s office and will be serving as an analyst on this issue. As a first step in your analysis, you will be listening to the other parties’ comments about the problem and the proposed solutions, if any. After hearing their perspectives, you will need to address various questions posed by the governor.

Key Players

Photo of James Raika

James Raika

Analyst, State Higher Education Department

Photo of Morgan James

Morgan James

Executive Director, State Higher Education Department

Photo of Margaret Smith

Margaret Smith

Speaker of the State House of Representatives

Assignment

Given the scenario, your role and the information provided by the key players involved, it is time for you to make a decision. If you are finished reviewing this scenario, close this window and return to this week’s You Decide item, in your course window, to complete the activity for this scenario. You can return and review this scenario again at any time.

Activity

You need to draft an analysis and recommendation to the governor. At this point, the governor is looking mainly for your opinion. Legal counsel will be consulted if needed on the finer points that you may raise. Specific questions that should be addressed include the following:

What is the provision of the United States Constitution that may apply in the case of an agreement or compact between two or more states?

Do you think that the proposal of James Raika to just enter into an agreement between the departments falls under that provision? Do you think that his proposal is reasonable? What do you see as the major advantage of that proposal? In your view, what is a major problem with this limited approach?

Why do you suppose that Morgan James wants to take a more expanded approach? What do you think are some of the benefits of that approach? What do you feel are the potential problems? What would be the sequence of events for proceeding to try to gain approval?

If Margaret Smith is opposed to the idea, in either form, what are the implications? Why do you think she is against the idea? What might you be able to do to help coordinate a discussion between the parties?

After reading through the You Decide activity and considering the questions listed here, please prepare a paper in APA format. The paper should be written to the governor with a brief summary of the overall issue and responses to the specific questions posed above. The paper should be double spaced, 11-point or 12-point type, and between 750 and 1,500 words.

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 6 You Decide

Scenario, Your Role, Key Players

You Decide

ScenarioYour RoleKey PlayersAssignment

Scenario

A state emergency management agency will be conducting a training exercise with a federal agency. Specifically, a disaster simulation will occur with hundreds of volunteers as well as first responders using actual supplies and equipment. The exercise will be paid for by the state agency but with money obtained via a grant from the federal government.

Your Role

You have recently been hired as a mid-level manager at this state agency. One of your first responsibilities is to coordinate this training exercise with a federal agency. Another part of the scope of your authority is to coordinate the purchase of supplies and services for the training exercise. Upon meeting your counterpart at the federal agency, you found him to be quite personable and complimentary to you. However, he almost immediately tried to influence you to direct the purchases of supplies to a specific salesperson. You’ve also met this sales representative. Your boss wants you to handle as much of the exercise as is reasonable and wants what she calls “good press” out of the event.

Key Players

Photo of Jim Phanner

Jim Phanner

Planning Manager, FEMA

Photo of Pat Provedor

Pat Provedor

Sales Representative, Timo Manufacturing

Photo of Justine White

Justine White

Your immediate supervisor

Assignment

Given the scenario, your role and the information provided by the key players involved, it is time for you to make a decision. If you are finished reviewing this scenario, close this window and return to this week’s You Decide item, in your course window, to complete the activity for this scenario. You can return and review this scenario again at any time.

Activity

You need to draft a summary of how you will handle the situation. Specific questions that should be addressed include the following:

Do you feel that there might be an ethical issue present? For the moment, assume that no laws have been broken and just focus on any possible ethical issues.

Explain how a competitive bidding arrangement might be useful. Do you see any impediments to using such a bidding process in this instance?

If you were going to report a suspected ethical issue, how would you do so? For instance, to whom would you report? Would you discuss the matter with anyone first?

Does the fact that you have only been recently hired play into your decisions?

Lastly, please assume that you suspect that some state or federal laws have been broken. In other words, the problems might be beyond just a possible ethical issue. Would this change your handling of the situation?

After reading through the You Decide activity and considering the questions listed here, please prepare a paper in APA format. The paper should include responses to the specific questions posed above, but you may include other points if you so desire. The paper should be double spaced, 11-point or 12-point type, and between 500 and 1,000 words.

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 4 Midterm Exam

Question 1 (TCO B) The Virginia Plan, as presented to the Constitutional Convention,

called for one vote per state in the Congress.

called for a bicameral legislature with membership determined proportionately.

called for a multiperson executive office elected by Congress.

None of the above

Question 2 (TCO B) The Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland is important in the history of federalism because

the Bank of the United States was ruled to be unconstitutional.

the Supreme Court developed the “doctrine of implied powers” to reach its ruling.

the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government did not have a right to impose a tax on a bank chartered by the state of Maryland.

None of the above

Question 3 (TCO C) When a conflict between two or more states arises, the ultimate resolution of the matter

could reach the Supreme Court of the United States.

would need to be decided by the Congress of the United States.

should be decided by the President of the United States.

must result in an interstate compact.

Question 4 (TCO C) The genesis of the idea for an interstate compact through the passage of the legislation in two or more states and the implementation is a multiple-step process. One such step or series of steps is

to reconcile the differences in the enabling statutes passed in the various states.

to always seek Congressional approval for the compact.

to have the administrative structure setup pending the passage of legislation.

to identify stakeholders of the issue, determine the needs of the particular states, and draft the documents to create the compact if enacted by the applicable legislatures.

Question 5 (TCO D) The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law

is not a mandate.

can be seen as a federal mandate to the states but one with major impact on local school districts.

is a federal mandate on local school districts.

None of the above

Question 6 (TCO D) Which model of the relationships between the national, state, and local governments views the national government and the various state governments as being autonomous but with interdependence between all three layers?

Coordinate-Authority

Inclusive-Authority

Overlapping-Authority

None of the above

Question 7 (TCO B) Explain the basics of a unitary form of government including a brief mention of one of its strengths as compared to a federal government.

Question 8 (TCO C) Discuss key characteristics of the United States of America under the Articles of Confederation.

Question 9 (TCO 3) Define and explain Dillon’s Rule including the impact of that rule, assuming it applies, on the relationship of a local government with the government of the state in which it is situated.

Question 10 (TCO D) What is meant by the term “Independent Establishment” as used by the federal government? Why might one be established?

Question 11 (TCO B) Discuss the basic viewpoints of dual federalism and cooperative federalism. Focus please on the role of the federal government and the respective state governments. Feel free to include a brief discussion of historical events that have led into these viewpoints of federalism.

Question 12 (TCO D) The development of an interstate compact is a critical first step in using that tool to solve policy issues that cross jurisdictional lines. Please define the term interstate compact and then explain the importance of properly developing the potential compact before trying to get it enacted.

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Week 8 Final Exam

Question 1 (TCO A) SWOT analysis is a planning technique that can be used by a governmental agency. What does the acronym SWOT stand for? What is the goal of completing a SWOT analysis?

Question 2 (TCO B) Explain briefly the issue that the Supreme Court of the United States had to decide in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland. Why is this case pivotal in the history of federal and state relations (e.g., federalism)?

Question 3 (TCO C) List and please briefly discuss at least two types of special districts.

Question 4 (TCO D) Describe briefly the importance of Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution on the ability of the federal government to handle fiscal matters.

Question 5 (TCO E) What is meant by the term “public policy?” What is an example of a public policy area that impacts all three levels of government?

Question 6 (TCO F) Ethical issues can easily arise in governmental affairs and may be faced by anyone working as a public administrator. List and discuss two ethical issues that may be faced by an elected official or an administrative employee within a government or agency.

Question 7 (TCO G) What was the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)? Describe briefly two changes that the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 made to that existing law.

Question 8 (TCO A) A barrier to strategic planning by a governmental agency can occur when there are numerous stakeholders. Explain why having many different stakeholders can be a challenge for the strategic planning by a governmental agency.

Question 9 (TCO B) A weakness of a unitary government is that any subunits of the unitary government have minimal if any ability for customization of services at a local level. Explain how a federal system may have advantages over a unitary system in this regard.

Question 10 (TCO C) The types of local governments that may exist in any given state may vary from some degree from state to state. List and discuss three of the types of those governments that may be found in one or more of the states within the United States.

Question 11 (TCO D) Governments rely to a great extent on the ability to generate tax revenue as a means of financing their operations and the provision of services. The ability to generate specific types of taxes varies from one level of government to the next. How does the ability of a state government to raise tax revenue compare to that of local governments and of the federal government? Explain at least one way that the respective abilities of the three levels of government to raise tax impact them from an intergovernmental perspective.

Question 12 (TCO E) The transportation system in the United States is an area that involves each of the three levels of government. Focusing solely on the local governments, what is their primary role in helping to ensure that there are proper air transport systems in place? In what ways do the local governments rely on higher levels of government in this regard?

Question 13 (TCO F) You have recently been hired as a clerk in the county clerk’s office. One of the many duties of the clerk is to issue marriage licenses and the clerk can actually perform wedding ceremonies. You have noticed that the clerk charges $40 (cash only) to marry a couple. You strongly suspect that he is pocketing the money rather than turning it over to the county. From an ethical perspective, how would you handle the situation?

Question 14 (TCO G) The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (the “GASB”) has conceptually addressed the idea of performance reporting. The concept sets forth the idea of measuring “service efforts and accomplishments” (“SEA” for short). Define the terms service efforts and service accomplishments. Also provide an example of how the performance of an agency serving the homeless population of a major city can be measured in terms of output measures of service accomplishments.

PA584 Intergovernmental Management

Course Project

Intergovernmental Management Paper

Objective

The Course Project is an opportunity for you to explore, in-depth, a topic of your choosing related to intergovernmental management. Accordingly, a first step in that direction is for you to choose an appropriate topic and submit a proposal in Week 2. The proposal can be as brief as two or three paragraphs but should be detailed enough to reflect a strong start to the project by you. In that regard, please be sure to explain how you expect that your research and analysis will relate to one or more specific COs for this course. A list of potential topics is presented below. These are intended as very broad areas; you will need to narrow the topic and refine the analysis so that the intergovernmental aspects are appropriately considered.

Guidelines

The following guidelines are pertinent to the paper for the project.

Papers must be 8-12 pages in length with 10-point font and double-spaced. Include a cover page, table of contents, introduction, body of the report, summary or conclusion, and a reference page for the works cited. Note that the length is for the content only; the cover page, table of contents, and reference page are in addition to those pages.

Even though this is not a scientific-type writing assignment, and is mostly creative in nature, references are still very important. At least six authoritative, outside references are required. Anonymous authors or web pages are not acceptable as references. These should be listed on the last page titled References.

Appropriate citations are required.

The paper should be in the American Psychological Association (APA) format.

All DeVry University policies are in effect, including the plagiarism policy.

Papers are due during Week 7 of this course.

Any questions about this paper may be discussed in the Course Q & A Forum.

This paper is worth 200 total points and will be graded on quality of research topic; quality of paper information; and the use of citations, grammar, and sentence structure.

Milestones

You will need to meet the following milestones for deliverables during the next few weeks:

Week 2 – Topic Selection (This includes a 2-3 paragraph proposal in a Word document to be submitted.)

Week 5 – Status Report (A 2-3 paragraph summary of your work to date in a Word document is to be submitted. The main emphasis is to provide you with a chance to explain if you are having questions or problems.)

Week 7 – Final Submission (See the Guidelines above regarding this deliverable.)

Topic Areas

It is again emphasized that the topic selected should be related to a specific intergovernmental management issue or need. Some of the topics listed below already have the intergovernmental aspect included. Others are broader topics. For instance, ethics is listed as a possible topic, but a person would need to refine the topic so that it relates more specifically to one or more of the COs. Also, this list is not meant to be all-inclusive. With those caveats in mind, please consider the following as possible topics:

Ethics

Interstate compacts

Uniform state laws

Compact Clause of the United States Constitution

Immigration laws and enforcement (including the concept of preemption)

Mutual aid agreements

Emergency Management Assistance Compact

Grants system

Medical marijuana: the interplay of federal and state laws

FEMA and state emergency agencies

No Child Left Behind Act

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010

Medicaid and resulting state programs

Mandates: funded and/or unfunded

Planning and financing of the highway system

Planning and financing of air transport facilities, such as an airport