Perceptions of the Impact of Governors and Legislatures in the State Appropriations Process

Abstract

ing the appropriations process while legislatures are characterized as less influential (Anton 1966: 34-5; Sharkansky 1968: 1231; and Howard 1973: 318). The introduction of the executive budget early in this century gave most governors the capacity to direct and control state financial matters (Schick 1971: 18). Although governors still dominate the appropriations process in many states, Rosenthal (1981: 206) believes that legislatures come to their budgetary tasks far better prepared now. This article provides a contemporary analysis of the impact of legislatures and governors in state appropriation decisions from the perspectives of two sets of administrators who work in close proximity to elected officials and the appropriations process. Appropriations are the most important policy enactments of state legislatures, and the state budget is usually the matter of greatest concern in any legislative session.1 Yet, the state appropriations process has rarely been studied in a comparative and systematic way (Sharkansky 1968). Using data from a 1982 survey, this article addresses the following questions: What factors affect the ability of the legislature to contend with the influence of the governor in the appropriations process, and what difference does it make to have the governor or the legislature as the dominant branch in appropriations? Our data derive from a mail survey2 of executive budget officers and legislative fiscal officers.3 Responses were received from forty-eight of the