Understanding Public Budgeting

Описание: The budgeting of public resources is a delicate balancing act. It is partly a matter of collecting good information and using it to make decisions. It is also a matter of political influence and using it to address citizen and societal needs.

A budget is a political instrument that weighs policy priorities against available resources, evaluates efficiency and effectiveness and provides transparency.

Governmental budgeting as we know it today is a surprisingly recent invention. Prior to 1900, it was common for each agency or government commission to approach the legislature separately to request funds.The chief administrative officer was left with only informal control, and the legislative body was faced with uncontrolled requests. As with most reforms, experiments with budget accountability began at the state and local level.

All levels of American government have experienced growing concern by citizens for more accountability of public expenditures in an environment of more tightly constrained resources. The public mood has undergone a decided change over the past several decades with respect to government spending.

We can expect challenges as part of efforts to keep government spending under control, and to link spending to clearly defined goals. Why is this so? Part of the answer is politics. Constituency interests have overpowered the political will of elected officials to budget with clear goals, with a clear sense of priorities, and with a strong sense of discipline.

Most importantly, a public budget is the primary means by which local citizens give expression to the kind of community they wish to create.