The current planetary Budget system strikes me as incredibly simplified and micro-management heavy. While I understand that 3 planets, one each specialized in industry, economy, and research, should theoretically outperform 3 planets that are all generalized at 33/33/33, the current system actually precludes the option of ever even having a planet that specializes in more than one thing.
If my planet has a +3 research zone, touching nothing else, and a +3 industry zone, touching nothing else, I should BENEFIT from using those zones appropriately as research and industry. However, the current system prevents that from ever being the best option. You should always lay down 100% research or 100% industry on such a planet, because putting the budget wheel to 100% research or industry is ALWAYS the best choice. Can anybody give me an example where this isn't true? The adjacency bonuses push this even further in the all-or-nothing direction, but I've made my example a planet with 2 disconnected slots to make the situation as much in favor of dual specialization as possible.
My suggestion would be to make a drawback to 100%'ing your budget wheel. If my population's base production is 10/10/10 with 33/33/33 wheel, maybe make it 0/20/0 with a 0/100/0 wheel, and something like 0/13.5/13.5 with a 0/50/50 wheel.