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the development of policy options, giving their views on an agency’s budget request, setting some
uniform format for the analysis of agency requests, and setting some policy regarding salaries and travel
to be used in the development of budget recommendations. However, analysts report more discretion in
providing information than reported by legislators.
Legislator Request for Advice
In interacting with legislators, analysts may be in a position to provide information or answer
questions in a manner that is outside the scope of their role as nonpartisan staff. To identify if this occurs,
analysts were asked if legislators ask them for advice and, if so, how they respond to this request. Eight
of 11 analysts responded that legislators do ask for advice. However, no analyst reported that they
actually give advice to legislators. In fact, most analysts reported that giving advice was not part of their
role with the legislature as nonpartisan staff. Several analysts commented that they do not see
themselves “pushing policy” or “advocating for a particular policy outcome” in the course of providing
information to the legislature. “We are not advocates of a particular side but advocates for informing
members,” said one legislative fiscal analyst. In fact, analysts make special effort to avoid giving advice.
As one analyst responded, “It is fairly routine for members to ask us for advice. But it is not our role to
advocate policy. I try to give them various options, the pros and cons and let them make the decisions.”
Another analyst responded:
We have to become skilled at responding without giving them policy direction. We
pitch it in an historical context, this has been done before and this is what happened.
Here are things that could happen if you do that or here are other options you can consider.
If a new member asks for advice, then I say, well that’s a policy question and I can’t tell
you. I try to give pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages. We can tell them
impacts, but I do not appear to tip it, appear objective and balanced. You have to work
at that.
These comments suggest that the analysts in this study do not give advice. Comments from other budget
actors confirm that analysts are not seen as individuals who give advice or “push policy.” One legislator
stated, “they don’t try to influence our priorities on the budget at all, they leave that up to us.” Another
legislator stated, “Analysts are perceived to be neutral, nonpartisan. Great resource for both sides of the
aisle, we are all dependent upon their information.” Likewise, an agency official responded, “They are
Convention