In the United States, firms often seek incentives from municipal governments to expand to those municipalities. A team of political scientists hypothesized that municipalities are much more likely to respond to firms and offer incentives if expansions can be announced in time to benefit local elected officials than if they can’t. The team contacted officials in thousands of municipalities, inquiring about incentives for a firm looking to expand and indicating that the firm would announce its expansion on a date either just before or just after the next election.

Question

Which choice best describes data from the graph that weaken the team’s hypothesis?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:
(Choice A) A large majority of the municipalities that received an inquiry mentioning plans for an announcement before the next election didn’t respond to the inquiry.
A
A large majority of the municipalities that received an inquiry mentioning plans for an announcement before the next election didn’t respond to the inquiry.
(Choice B) The proportion of municipalities that responded to the inquiry or offered incentives didn’t substantially differ across the announcement timing conditions.
B
The proportion of municipalities that responded to the inquiry or offered incentives didn’t substantially differ across the announcement timing conditions.
(Choice C) Only around half the municipalities that responded to inquiries mentioning plans for an announcement before the next election offered incentives.
C
Only around half the municipalities that responded to inquiries mentioning plans for an announcement before the next election offered incentives.
(Choice D) Of the municipalities that received an inquiry mentioning plans for an announcement date after the next election, more than 1,200 didn’t respond and only around 100 offered incentives.
D
Of the municipalities that received an inquiry mentioning plans for an announcement date after the next election, more than 1,200 didn’t respond and only around 100 offered incentives.

Answer 1

(Choice B) The proportion of municipalities that responded to the inquiry or offered incentives didn’t substantially differ across the announcement timing conditions.

This choice suggests that there was no significant difference in the response rate or incentives offered based on whether the firm would announce the expansion before or after the next election. This weakens the team's hypothesis that municipalities are more likely to respond and offer incentives if the expansion can be announced in time to benefit local elected officials.