Integrating Performance Information into Legislative Budget Processes

This paper examines the dilemma of integrating performance information into state and federal legislative budget processes. Typically performance information is presented in the executive budget report or in agency budget requests; however, existing literature on legislatures as well as an analysis of Georgia Appropriations Committee members' use of performance information shows that executive staff and agencies are not an especially trusted source of information for legislators. Although research in this area is thin, analytical information such as performance measures appears to enter legislative discourse through policy networks maintained by key committee staff. Alternatively, performance measures might have an impact on legislative decisions if the information influences constituent positions on the issues.