Posted on 05/05/2003 2:54:14 PM PDT by ThJ1800
GOP-backed measures moving through the Legislature combine to give the governor's office, with its constitutionally limited duties, the most unprecedented infusion of power seen in a century.
While some call the measures an unwarranted, sweeping power shift, others said the bills give the governor added authority that naturally flows from streamlining and limiting government – movements prompted by a $9.9 billion budget shortfall.
Rep. David Swinford, R-Dumas, chairman of the Government Reform Committee, said the governor deserves and should get more direct authority.
As committee chairman, he wrote a 412-page bill that would provide governors with new powers. He said the bill only conveys authority for the governor to do what is now done behind the scenes through persuasion, politics and posturing.
"It really just cuts out all the chasing around ... and gets down to the matter that he can do it," Mr. Swinford said. "There's nothing in this bill that he can't do now through other means. It's just more efficient to let him do it than go through all this rigmarole."
But critics say a combination of measures is the first step toward a cabinet system, in which major agency heads would report directly to the governor and the oversight of citizens boards and commissions would be eliminated.
The bills also would give the governor power to order audits and direct that their recommendations be adopted; issue executive orders to reorganize and alter the operation of agencies, with legislative approval; appoint all district and appellate judges; order agencies to spend money for economic development projects, and appropriate hundreds of millions of dollars to entice private companies to move operations to Texas.
The bills would close the governor's budget working papers from public view, which Gov. Rick Perry had hoped to do until he was overridden last month by an attorney general's open-records opinion.
Now, a governor's chief powers are appointing state boards, selecting agency heads and vetoing bills. The governor also has full use of the bully pulpit.
"I can't think of anyone who has discussed the need for fundamental shifts of power or the power structure in the state," said Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, chairman of the Democratic Caucus.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/tsw/stories/050303dntexgovpower.aa3f1.html
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