The Executive:
Plural Executive
The Governor and the Office
• Formal Qualifications
– 30 years old
– American Citizen
– Have lived in Texas for five years prior to the election
• Informal Qualifications
–
–
–
–
–
Anglo-Saxon
Protestant
Male
Middle-aged
Lawyer
Table 6.1 – Terms and Qualifications of
Elected Chief Executives
Constitutional
Texas
Provisions
Governor
U.S.
President
The Fifty States’
Governors
Age
30 years
35 years
34 states set
minimum age at 30
Residence
5 years
14 years
5 years or less in 38
states
Terms
4 years
4 years
(limited to 2
terms or 10
years)
48 states allow a 4year term, but, unlike
Texas, 39 states
impose term limits
Source: The Book of States 2002 (Lexington, KY: Council of State Governments,
2000), pp. 145-47.
The Governor and the Office
• Terms and Tenure
– Four-year term
• Compensation
–
–
–
–
$115,345
Mansion
Expense account
Among highest paid in the nation
• Staff
The Governor and the Office
• Tools of Persuasion
– Formal powers
• Powers granted by law or the state constitution
– Informal powers
•
•
•
•
Personalities
Public relations
Political climate
Political strength
The Governor and the Office
• Legislative Tools
– The Veto
– The Item Veto
– The Threat to Veto
• Legislators
• Administrators
• Lobbyists
– Special Sessions
– Message Power
• State of the State
Message
• Executive Tools of
Persuasion
–
–
–
–
–
–
Appointive Powers
Removal Powers
Planning Powers
Chief of State
Budget Powers
Law Enforcement
Power
– Military Powers
– Clemency Powers
The Bureaucracy
• Single Elected Administrators
• Appointed Executives
• Boards and Commissions, including ex officio and
appointed boards
The Bureaucracy
• Single Elected Administrators
–
–
–
–
–
The Lieutenant Governor
The Attorney General
Comptroller of Public Accounts
Commissioner of the Land Office
Commissioner of Agriculture
The Bureaucracy
• Appointed Administrators
– Secretary of State
– Adjutant General
– Insurance Commissioner
The Bureaucracy
Boards and Commissions
• Elective Boards
– The Texas Railroad
Commission
– State Board of
Education
– Ex Officio Boards
– Legislative
Redistricting Board
• Appointed Boards
– Colleges and
Universities
– Social Service
Programs
– Highway Programs
– Regulation of Financial
Institutions
– Licensing Boards
– Other
The Bureaucracy and Public
Policy
• Bureaucratic Power
–
–
–
–
–
–
The Legislature
Clientele Groups
The Chief Executive
Public Support
Expertise
Administration of the Laws
The Bureaucracy and Public
Policy
• Bureaucratic Accountability
–
–
–
–
–
Elective Accountability
Legislative Accountability
Accountability to the Chief Executive
Accountability to Interest Groups
Administrative Accountability
• ombudsman