Compare the budget of the state of Texas and the budget of the state of Massachusetts. How are the states
similar in how they spend money and how are the states different? How would you expect life to be different in
Massachusetts compared to Texas based on how the governments spend their money? Base your arguments
on the multiple sources provided and not your own “guess.” (CT 1 and CT2)
- Life in Texas and Massachusetts can be very different, but that does not make one superior to the other.
Which state is more suitable to live in is determined by how one defines a “quality” life. What factors do believe
would lead to a high quality of life? How you rate different life factors can be your opinion, but the factors you
use should be based on research. How do you think living in Texas, and spending by the Texas state
government, influence your perspective on what is a “quality” life? (CT 3 and CT 4) - Looking back at spending by the states of Texas and Massachusetts what would happen if each state
changed its spending priorities. How would you expect altering state spending would harm or enhance the
quality of life for people living in that state? Be sure to mention specific spending changes and base your
argument on how you would define quality of life. (CT 5)
Texas Government Common Assignment
Visual Literacy Component - Describe what the graphs look like visually. Pretend that the reader is not able to see the graphs and give as
much detail as possible. (VL 1) - What information are the graphs presenting? What are the graphs telling you about? Take the information
that is presented visually and communicate it to the reader in written form. (VL 2) - What does the information in these graphs mean for the government of Texas versus the government of
Massachusetts? How would the residents of each of the states be affected by the information presented in the
graphs? (VL3)
Texas Government Common Assignment - Articles
"Why Texas Is Our Future" Time Magazine article
"Why Greg Abbott Says Texas Is the Top Technology State in the US" CNBC article