1. The Plural Executive in Texas:
The Lieutenant Governor & The Comptroller of Public Accounts

2. The Plural Executive Multiple Independently Elected Executive Officers
Rick Perry
Susan Combs
Greg
Abbott
Jerry
Patterson
Todd
Staples
David
Dewhurst
Multiple Independently Elected Executive Officers
May belong to different parties from each other
Do not answer to each other
Hold each other in check
Must work together to implement public policy in Texas

3. Major Elected Executive Offices
Governor (See 2-9 and 2-10)
Lieutenant Governor
Successor to the Governor
Required to resign if he succeeds the Governor
by1999 amendment
No provision for replacing the Lieutenant Governor
President of the Texas Senate
Major source of Lieutenant Governor’s power
Chairman of the Legislative Budget Board
Standing joint committee that builds the state’s revenue and expenditure bills
Appoints multiple boards and commissions
Including the Sunset Advisory Commission
Audits every state agency every six years to determine
whether the agency should continue to exist
Whether the agency should continue at the same funding level

4. Major Elected Executive Offices
Comptroller of Public Accounts
Chief Accountant and Tax Collector
Merged with the Treasurer’s Office in 1995
Charged with enforcing the Balanced Budget Requirement
Certifies the State Budget
Estimates biennial revenue
Manages State Expenditures
Files State requests for federal grants
“Public Face” of the Comptroller’s Office
Unclaimed Properties Division
Texas Tomorrow Fund

5. The State Budget Process
Revenue Estimate
Lt Gov
influence
Comptroller
(CPA)
Legislative
Budget
Board
Governor influence
Override
Veto?
Texas
Legislature
Standard Veto
Line Item Veto No
CPA:
Preliminary
Cert?
Governor:
Approve?
Yes No
Yes
Yes
CPA:
Final
Cert? No
Line Removed
from Bill
Biennial
Budget
enacted
Yes