Chapter 6 Governors Intro

1. Chapter 6 Governors • Intro • Major players subnationally – during good economic times (e.g., 1990s), governors spend money on various new programs (education, environment, healthcare, transportation, etc). During bad ones (early 2000s), tough choices (40 state deficits, layoffs, higher taxes). Governors at the center in both worlds. • Major players nationally - become active nationally – 17 members in US Senate, a several currently cabinet members, Presidents are commonly ex-governors. • Becoming/Remaining Governor (avg. = $100,000). • Requirements • Formal – most states, minimum age = 30, state resident 5 years. • Informal – pattern is white, male, attorneys, 40-55 years.

2. Typically, elected to state legislature, statewide office, then governor. Women increasingly common; 28 in history, 20 since 1974; 14 since 1990. • Terms and limitations – All but NH and VT have 4-yr terms and all but VA allow more than one term; 37 states limit terms to two. • Reelection and Raising Taxes • Incumbency – incumbents win 75% of the time. • Timing of election – 75% gubernatorial elections occur at midterm, 5 states hold them in odd years (including MS). Why? To guard gubernatorial elections from national politics. • Why do some incumbents lose? Depressed state economy and tax hikes (p. 100). Sometimes governors run on “investment taxes” for popular targeted projects (e.g., ed). Political Party breakdown (22 GOP; 28 DEM)

3. Governor’s Formal Power – originally, colonies were ran by “royal” governors with enormous power. New states sharply limited that power formally; however, this power has gradually grown ever since. • How are governors’ formally constrained in power? Look at Table 6.1. • By separating the executive by making other state executives, especially the Lt. Governor, to run independently (not answering directly to Gov). 24 states make Lt. Gov and Gov run together. • Appointment Power – to the extent that governors can appoint top officials, his power is enhanced. • Fiscal and Budgetary Power – governors in practically all states are charged with preparing and presenting budget proposals (every year in 30 states & every other year in 20). • Budget Process: p. 116 Know this process! • Budget Priorities (next slide)

4. MS Budget is $5.1 billion with a state GSP of $91b; CA is $126 billion with a GSP of $1.9 trillion; National budget is $3.9 trillion with GDP of $14.2 trillion

5. General Fund Appropriations: • All Educational Activities: $3,079,458,935 - 62 percent• Social Welfare: $520,901, 623 - 10 percent• Debt Service: $289,547,871 - 6 percent• Corrections: $265, 954,055 - 5 percent• Hospitals and Hospital Schools - $264,528,980 - 5 percent• All Others: $130,966,575 - 3 percent• Agriculture and Economic Development - $112, 569,372 - 2 percent• Local Assistance - $83,900,000 - 2 percent• Executive and Fiscal Affairs - $74,987,699 - 2 percent• Judiciary and Justice - $61,299,714 - 1 percent• Conservation - $55,176,770 - 1 percent• Legislative Expense - $25,725,417 - less than 1 percentTotal Appropriations: $4,965,017,011Adjusted Appropriations: $5,149,569,011 General Fund Revenues: • Sales Tax: $2,019,300,000 - 40 percent• Individual Income Tax: $1,617,000,000 - 32 percent• Corporate Income and Franchise Tax: $528,400,000 - 11 percent• Gaming Fees and Taxes - $207, 800,000 - 4 percent• Use Tax: 207,700,000 - 4 percent• Insurance Premium Tax - $144,000,000 - 3 percent• All Other Taxes - $101,500,000 - 2 percent• Oil and Gas Severance Tax: $92,700,000 - 2 percent• A.B.C. Division: $61,800,000 - 1 percent• Tobacco Tax: $57,600,000 - 1 percent• Beer and Wine Tax: 32,500,000 - less than 1 percent• Highway Safety Patrol: $22,700,000 - less than 1 percent• Auto Tag and Title Fees: $16, 900,000 - less than 1 percentTotal Revenue: $5,109,900,000Adjusted Revenue: $5,149,569,011

6. Revenues: 50% generally comes from taxes, 20% from federal sources, rest from other. State constitutions always require balanced budgets. So, governors have to cut or delay programs. • Veto Power – all governors have same power as President to veto legislation. But often more: • 8 states allow an item veto – vetoing parts of bill. • Several states allow a reduction veto – reducing appropriation amounts. • 19 states allow an amendatory veto – returns bill with suggested language or changes; then legislature decides whether to pass bill with changes or original form. • Legislatures can override vetoes usually with 2/3s vote. 4% on average are vetoed, 2% are overriden. Sometimes, states hold Veto Sessions to consider a veto by governor after adjournment.

7. Executive Orders – governors have the power to decree some things related to their enumerated constitutional duties. Sometimes, these are used instead of legislation (Fordice, Gay Marriage). • Commander in Chief of the National Guard – State guards are used and called up by governors for security but also natural disasters. But they are subject to “federalization” by the federal gov’t. States could, but don’t, fund their own state militias (not prohibited in U.S. Const.). • Pardon Power – governors can typically pardon anyone for any reason, though not quite as absolute as President. Usually assisted by pardon boards. Granting stays of execution important part of governor’s job (e.g., George Ryan, IL p. 119). • Policy-Making Influence – Ability to take policy-making lead depends on: • Formal obstacles (p. 119 NY and MS) and cohesion of executive; party • Informal obstacles – hostile legislature (party), economy,

8. corruption, regional tension (urban/rural, race, class, upstate/downstate), special interests, press, indifferent public, inertia of agencies, etc. • Absentee landlords - federal gov’t and the West; 83% ownership of NV. • Managing instead of policy-making – daily housekeeping more a part of governor’s life than President. Table 6-2. • Two-party competitiveness: more competitive = more powerful. Why? Answer: governor’s party state legislators more likely to work with governor on policy issues (more risky for party to be a renegade; they will hate you!).

10. 2009 This map displays the name and party affiliation of each state's governor.

11. Managing State Agencies • Who runs the state? Table 6-3 (# of elected executives), it is often perceived that state legislatures control agencies, but governors are very influential. • Debate: Should agencies by independent or beholden to the governor? • Modernizing Trends in State Gov’t: Reformers have sought to bring state agencies under the close supervision of the governor for efficiency and saving money. 1. 5 Principles of Reorganization (p. 109). 2. Resistance: from protected groups, officials who fear loss of job or status, and legislators who fear powerful governors. Critics contend that reorganization overlooks values like checking powerful governors and policy/programexpertise in an effort to simply save money. But perhaps interest groups flourish more in an independent, complex, spread out agency environment (i.e., shadow government theory). Iron Triangle (next slide) –It’s harder for the leg. to oversee administrations accountable to gov than those that feature divided responsibilities. So when agencies are tied to governor, legislators have harder time setting up iron triangles through legislative oversight power. Agencies may be political either way (parties or IGs).

13. V. Other Statewide Elected Officials • Lt. Governor: 42 states have it. Half of these elected on same-ticket. Typically preside over state senates (like VP). Governors come from this office more than any other. If elected separately (like MS), often as politically powerful as governor. • Attorney General: chief lawyer of state. Advises state officials, supervises local prosecutors, represents state before courts. Sometimes wage legal battles of their own for some public concern (Mike Moore and Tobacco Corporations). 44 elected statewide. • Secretary of State: publishes laws, supervises elections, issues certificates of incorporation. More of a managerial office than political one. Appointed in 8 states, elected by 3 state legislatures, 3 states don’t have it. Rest elected statewide.