PS 446 Power, Money, and Politics: The Public Budgeting Process

An examination of how U.S. and state governments make decision concerning the generation of revenue and the allocation of scarce government resources to competing public interests. Course considers the budget decision process in the Executive and Legislative branches of government, as well as the roles played by public administrators.  Reviews the history of budget reforms of public budgeting at the national and state levels, including constitutional reforms affecting public budgeting, and explains why public budgeting evolved from simple accounting of government revenues and expenditures into a central tool of administrative management. Current topics may include controlling government debt, collective bargaining with public employee unions, stimulating economic development, and the budgetary impact of judicial mandates.