Practical Government Budgeting

159 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 1h59min.
This book provides descriptions, instructions, and exercises to help readers master government budgeting as it is actually practiced. University courses and training programs serving present and future state and local officials and staff will learn how to do public budgeting in this relevant, practical, and useful workbook. Each chapter presents techniques followed by step-by-step instructions complete with examples to help students learn the material. Self-test exercises conclude each chapter.Exhibits Preface Acknowledgments 1 How to Read a Government Budget Why You Need to Understand Your Government Budget How this chapter will be useful Objectives Reading and Understanding the Budget Three types of budgets Three types of funds Elements of a budget document Exercise: Reading the Annual Budget Document Notes 2 Coping With the Budget Process Preparing the Budget How this chapter will be useful Objectives The Budget Process The phases of the budget cycle The formal system Agency needs: Building budgets rationally External impacts on agency budgets Exercise: Mastering the Budget Process Step one: Homework Step two: Role Play Step three: Assessments Options Notes 3 Budgeting for Personal Services Preparing an Agency Personnel Budget How this chapter will be useful Objectives Preparing a Budget for Personal Services Importance of personal services Description of position types Pay plans Steps in developing a personal services budget Exercise: Budgeting for Personnel Notes 4 Budgeting for Operating Expenses and Capital Outlay Budgeting Non-Personnel Expenses How this chapter will be useful Objectives Budgeting for Expenses and Equipment Budgeting for operating expenses The incremental method Analytic approaches Unit cost calculations Predetermined charges: internal service funds Standard costs Capital outlay Some special considerations Exercise: Budgeting Operating Expenses and Capital Outlay Notes 5 Defending Budget Proposals Defending Your Agency Budget How this chapter will be useful Objectives The Justification and Analysis of Agency Budgets Strategies versus justification Mandatory, base, and discretionary expenditures Three perspectives of an agency's budget review The central budget office's review The chief executives review The legislature's review Exercise: Defending and Reviewing Budget Requests Notes 6 Preparing Revenue Estimates Revenue Estimation How this chapter will be useful Objectives Estimating Revenues by Funds and Categories Description of funds and major revenue categories Classification of funds Major categories of revenue Revenue estimating considerations Revenue estimation models Procedures for estimating revenues Conclusion Exercise: Revenue Estimations Notes 7 Understanding the Property Tax Working with the Property Tax How this chapter will be useful Objectives The Property Tax Step One—Assessment Step Two—Exemptions and other reductions Step Three—Calculations Step Four—Collection Three perspectives on the property tax Exercise: Property Tax Calculations and Communications 8 The Capital Budget Process Capital Budgets How this chapter will be useful Objectives Preparing Capital Budgets Components of the capital budget Advantages and disadvantages Developing a capital budget Conclusion Exercise: Capital Spending Notes 9 How to Spend Your Budget Wisely Budget Execution How this chapter will be useful Objectives Plans, Management and Control in Budget Execution The stages of budget execution Spending money Expenditure controls Purchasing Cash management Accounting and auditing Exercise: Budget Execution Notes 10 Multi-Year Budgets The Case for a Multi-Year Budget Perspective How this chapter will be useful Objectives Multi-Year Forecasting and Planning The benefits of looking ahead Financial forecasts and gap analysis Impact analysis of budgetary decisions Multi-year planning for cyclical expenditures The politics of multi-year forecasts Conclusion Exercise: Multi-Year Forecasts Notes