The police powers of the government include:

• A. Taxation and eminent domain
• B. Building codes and zoning regulations
• C. Economic development incentives
• D. Their ability to issue bonds

Answer: (B)

Police powers are the state’s authority to regulate activities to protect public health, safety, and general welfare. Building codes and zoning regulations are classic examples because they shape how structures are built and how land is used to prevent hazards, ensure safety, and plan orderly development. Building codes set minimum safety standards for construction, protecting occupants and responders. Zoning regulates land use and density, guiding where homes, businesses, and services can go and how they interact, which helps manage traffic, infrastructure needs, and community welfare.

Other options fall outside this regulatory realm. Taxation and eminent domain are separate powers: taxation raises revenue, and eminent domain allows the government to take private property for public use under due process. Economic development incentives are policy tools, not regulatory controls. Issuing bonds is a financing method for public funds, not a restriction or regulation.