Budgeting is probably the single most important function in government, considering the amount of money a government spends each year on various expenditure programs and activities, as well as the time it spends in preparing the budget, appropriating funds for these activities and, finally, executing them. This book integrates the complex theory and practice of public budgeting into a single text. Written in a simple, concise and easy to understand manner, The Fundamentals of Public Budgeting and Finance captures the multidimensional perspective of public budgeting that students, as well as practitioners will find useful.

Autorentext

Aman Khan is Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Texas Tech University, USA where he teaches public budgeting, financial management, cost and managerial accounting, and quantitative methods.

Inhalt

Preface  Chapter 1: Introduction: Market System and the Role of Government A Simple Illustration of How the Market System Operates Market Failure and the Need for Government Intervention Non-Market Failure Summary and Conclusion Review Questions  PART I: BUDGET BACKGROUND  Chapter 2: Evaluating a Tax System and Related Measures Objectives of Taxation Criteria for Evaluating a Tax System Optimal Tax Structure Methods of Tax Collection Incidence of Taxation Summary and Conclusion Review Questions  Chapter 3: An Overview of Government Expenditures Types of Government Expenditure  Growth in Government Expenditure Causes of Growth in Government Expenditure  Limits to Growth in Government Expenditure Optimal Government Expenditure Summary and Conclusion Review Questions  Chapter 4: An Overview of Government Revenues Primary Sources of Revenue Other Sources of Revenue Revenue Capacity Summary and Conclusion Review Questions  PART II: THE OPERATING BUDGET  Chapter 5: Understanding the Budget Process A Brief History of Budget Development A Digression on Fund Structure Budget as a Cyclical Process Budget as a Political Process Summary and Conclusion Review Questions  Chapter 6: Budget Systems, Underlying Structures and Characteristics  Budget Systems and Their Role in the Budget Process Types of Budget Systems Some Common Misconceptions Summary and Conclusion Review Questions   Chapter 7: Elements of Budget Forecasting Background and Purpose Forecasting Process  Forecasting Methods Cash-Flow Forecasting Measuring Forecast Errors Forecast Evaluation Summary and Conclusion Review Questions  PART III: THE CAPITAL BUDGET  Chapter 8: Capital Budgeting and Improvement Process  Characteristics of a Capital Budget Types of Capital Assets Capital Budgeting and Long-Term Planning Capital Budget Process Impact on the Operating Budget Summary and Conclusion Review Questions  Chapter 9: Evaluating Capital Projects and Budget Decisions Project Evaluation in Capital Budgeting Methods of Project Evaluation Summary and Conclusion Review Questions  Chapter 10: Capital Rationing and Budget Allocation The Need for Capital Rationing in Government Conventional Approaches to Capital Rationing Alternative Approaches to Capital Rationing Other Programming Methods Application Dilemma Summary and Conclusion Review Questions   Chapter 11: Concluding Observations: Some Critical Issues  The Deficit and Debt Problem Expenditure Growth Controversy A Capital Budget for the Federal Government  The Looming State and Local Pension Crisis  Other Related Issues Summary and Conclusion Review Questions   Appendices References Index