Ch 6: Governor and Executive Branch

two roles of the governor

head of state and head of government

head of state

ceremonial, symbol of state unity, doing public appearances, lack of television/media time compared to president, cutting ribbons, signing bills, response to natural disasters, campaigining and funraising

head of government

making policy and trying to get it passed by the legislature and implemented by the executive branch, partisan and divisive

the formal power of the governor are greater than the ___

president

formal powers of the governor

making appointments and organizating the executive branch (removal from office), conducting independent executive actions, being commander in chief, proposing the budget, making legislative recommendations, exercising the veto

executive branch structure

governor’s personal staff, governor’s cabinet, plural elected executive (lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, superintendent of public education, insurance commissioner, Board of Equalization), 85+ agencies of major departments, 325 boards and commissions (Public Utilities Commission, Regents of the University of California)

limits to the governor’s power

secondary to legislature (have to cooperate w/ them rather than the other way around), judicial power able to weigh in on expanded powers, no control over elected executives like the attorney general, bureaucracy is too large

process for passing budget

budget prepared and sent to legislature by jan 10th —> revisions in spring —> governor lobbies for their budget —> simple majority in both houses for approval

granting clemency

granting pardons, shorten sentences for state crimes, reverse parole decisions, delay death sentence, judiciary approval required

lieutenant governor

replaces governor if out of state, breaks tie votes, serves on important boardsgen

general attorney

governors only realy policy competitor, enforces laws and oversees/assists district attorneys, oversees dept of justicese

secretary of state

holds elections and oversees the records and archives of the state

insurance commissioner

regulates insurance companies

controller

monitors collection of taxes and provides fiscal controls for receipts and payments

superintendent of public instruction

administers the state role in public education and sits on the State Board of Education

board of equalization 

oversees the assessment and administration of property taxes, collection and distribution of sales taxes, and collection of excise taxes, controller is a member

agencies and the bureaucracy

most located within the seven superagencies, civil service protection, examples include CA Highway Patrol, Caltrans

how many superagencies report to the governor

7