Reference no: EM133151296

Two Scenarios 

Compare and contrast the experience of "Sarah Stone" in the First Testimony scenario with that of "Alfred Adamson" in the Second Testimony scenario.

Following are two fictional scenarios illustrating the process of delivering a budget and testifying before the legislature. 

First Testimony;

Sarah Stone is the new director of the state health department. In the past, she has briefly testified to supplement the former director's testimony. This year, she is to testify. Before the hearing, her staff worked with the legislative staff to prepare 15 minutes of testimony. She has provided legislators with a briefing book and has a copy of the same book with her. Hers contains many supplemental pages that are tabbed by topic. Ralph Jones, her budget director, insisted that she has these as a backup in the event that legislators ask tough questions. The day before the hearing, Sarah and Ralph reviewed the material in detail. At that time, Sarah vetoed several slides because they are too complex. Ralph goes to the hearing with Sarah and sits behind her during her testimony. Sarah presents the budget as approved for submission by the governor. There are several questions that Sarah is able to answer, thanks to those tabbed sections of her book, yet when Senator Kramer asks about the cost of a program involving tobacco addiction, she must defer to Ralph, who promises a response "by close of business tomorrow." Senator Baxley doesn't like this budget and knows that the agency's original budget submission was for $35 million more than what is in the governor's budget. He asks Sarah whether she is happy with the total amount in the budget. She replies, "I am here as a representative of the governor." When Sarah returns to her office, she receives a message from the governor's chief of staff congratulating her on her testimony.

Second Testimony;

Alfred Adamson is the acting superintendent of the state police. Although he has progressed in rank over 25 years, he has no previous experience testifying before the legislature. In his 8 months as the acting superintendent, he has redirected many of his staff positions toward the department's policing functions. As a result, there has been poor communication with the legislative staff and even with the governor's legislative budget coordinator. The material for the legislative briefing book is not delivered until the morning of the hearing. Alfred tells Linda Jones, his budget manager, that she need not come to the hearing. Alfred's presentation includes many detailed tables showing precisely how the budget is built and the exact amount of the changes from the previous year. Senator Garner interrupts and asks about the red-light camera initiative, and Alfred looks a little surprised. But then he provides a fairly extended explanation of the program, getting most of his facts correct. Alfred is on the fourth table when Chairman Wilson says, "You have three minutes." Alfred says that he is only beginning, to which Wilson says that the allotted time was clearly stated in the letter of invitation. This conversation consumes another 2 minutes, and by the time Alfred has discussed the first two lines of the next chart, Wilson says, "Time." Alfred says, "On the next line-" but Wilson says quite firmly, "You are excused." When Alfred returns to his office; he finds an email announcing the appointment of Henry Monmouth as the new superintendent of the state police.