Applied Research Methods for Accountability in Public and Nonprofit Organization
Assignment No. 1 Discussion No. 4
(Campus: FIU Modesto Main Campus)
Altruism as a concept refers to helping behavior that is motivated purely by a desire to benefit
others without anticipation of personal rewards. Helping behavior provides some benefit to or
improves the well-being of another person. If you are conducting a campus survey, how would
you operationalize altruistic behavior? Give examples of at least two measures and discuss their
validity.
Public Finance and the Budgetary Process
Assignment No. 2 Discussion No. 7
Answer these questions in your original post (please remember to cite in-text
using module resources):
1. How is the base for property taxes determined, and how are rates applied to that
base?
2. Review the exercise Download the exercise. Assume that the mayor of your city is
concerned about the property tax burden on low-income households. She has asked
you to analyze three proposals: (1) a homestead exemption, (2) a reassessment,
and (3) a circuit breaker. Based on the given information, which proposal would you
recommend and why?
3. Read the article about additional homestead tax exemption for critical public service
workforce in FloridaLinks to an external site.. The CFO has asked you to write a
brief memo about a proposal to increase homestead exemptions for teachers,
military members, and first responders. What points would you raise in this memo?
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/tax-break-florida-teachers-cops-militarymembers/
4. How has the property tax limitation movementLinks to an external site. of the past
thirty years complicated local governments’ capacity to respond to economic crises?
https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/state-limits-on-property-taxeshamstring-local-services-and-should-be
Additional Resources

Applied Research Methods for Accountability in Public and Nonprofit Organization
Assignment No. 1 Discussion No. 4
(Campus: FIU Modesto Main Campus)
Altruism as a concept refers to helping behavior that is motivated purely by a desire to benefit
others without anticipation of personal rewards. Helping behavior provides some benefit to or
improves the well-being of another person. If you are conducting a campus survey, how would
you operationalize altruistic behavior? Give examples of at least two measures and discuss their
validity.
Public Finance and the Budgetary Process
Assignment No. 2 Discussion No. 7
Answer ALL these questions in your original post (please remember to cite in-text
using module resources):
1. How is the base for property taxes determined, and how are rates applied to that
base?
2. Review the exercise Download the exercise. Assume that the mayor of your city is
concerned about the property tax burden on low-income households. She has asked
you to analyze three proposals: (1) a homestead exemption, (2) a reassessment,
and (3) a circuit breaker. Based on the given information, which proposal would you
recommend and why?
3. Read the article about additional homestead tax exemption for critical public service
workforce in FloridaLinks to an external site.. The CFO has asked you to write a
brief memo about a proposal to increase homestead exemptions for teachers,
military members, and first responders. What points would you raise in this memo?
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/tax-break-florida-teachers-cops-militarymembers/
4. How has the property tax limitation movementLinks to an external site. of the past
thirty years complicated local governments’ capacity to respond to economic crises?
https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/state-limits-on-property-taxeshamstring-local-services-and-should-be
Additional Resources