Attitudes and Perceptions of County Legislators Regarding Their Influence Over the Formulation and Implementation of Environmental Policy

The purpose of this inquiry was to gauge the attitudes and perceptions of county legislators (commissioners or their equivalents) about their influence over the policy process as it pertains to environmental policy. To this end, a survey was developed that polled county legislators about their perceptions at two vital points in the policy process, Formulation and Implementation. The responses revealed that despite significant rhetoric to the contrary, there is not a significant disparity between county legislator's influence at the two policy stages, i.e. if they had low or no influence during policy formulation, they were not saddled with its implementation. This implies that, at least in the area of environmental policy, counties are not burdened with the implementation of policies they did not help formulate. Additionally, the survey results highlight environmental policy areas in which county legislators do hold significant sway. (i.e. the had high levels of influence at both the formulation and implementation stages) This information could be used to hone and confine county lobbying efforts to policies that they can actually influence.

Name thesis:degree_name

Masters in Public Administration

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Public Administration

Grantor

Texas State University

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Batts II, Danny S.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Shields, Patricia M.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Palacios, Kolette N.

• attitudes
• perceptions
• county legislators
• policy
• environments

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10877/3518

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/3518