Exploring Governmental Budgeting Online
Learning Objectives:
√ To acquaint you with the relative accessibility and the scope of governmental budget information available through the Internet.
√ To expose you to various levels of governmental budgeting that have significance to the region in which you live.
√ To display several budgeting formats and to engage you in thinking about the scope of information provided in online budget documents.
√ To engage you in evaluating the relative user-friendliness of various online budget information from an interested citizen’s perspective.
√ To develop critical thinking skills in evaluating governmental budgeting information available through the Internet.
Background
Over the past two decades, most public agencies have developed an Internet presence. These websites provide an important venue for disseminating budgeting information and vary considerably in their user-friendliness, content, and sophistication.
The Governmental Finance Officers Association (http://www.gfoa.org/) recommends the timely presentation of governmental financial documents to demonstrate transparency and accountability as a “best practice.”
The key benefits of website presentation include:
• Reaching potential users who can access the information only through the Internet
• Offering information to a wide audience without charge
• Increasing opportunities for agency and user interaction
• Facilitating the possibility of providing financial information in diverse languages
• Enabling users to analyze data electronically
• Promoting the efficiency of a one-stop venue for public financial information
• Economizing on reproduction and distribution costs
• Reducing paper consumption
• Making possible the efficient retrieval of related information through hyperlinks
Assignment
You are to go online individually to access and explore the budget documents of four governmental agencies as indicated below and to then complete the Exploring Governmental Budgeting Online Assignment Sheets.
1. United State Federal Government
Budgetary documents for the federal government can be accessed through the Office of Management and Budget at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb
2. Your resident state
State websites normally may be found by entering the name of the state and looking for the state’s official website (e.g., State of Texas).
Alternatively, USA.gov website may provide a route to your state.
Go to http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/State-and-Territories.shtml then click on the state in which you are interested.
3. Your resident county, borough, or parish County, Borough, or Parish websites normally may be found by entering the name of the jurisdiction and looking for the official website (e.g., Maricopa County, Queens Borough, Rapides Parish).
Alternatively, the National Association of Counties website provides links to most counties, boroughs, and parishes.
Go to http://www.naco. org/.
Under “About Counties,” click “County Search,” then click the state map for a specific jurisdiction, then click on the jurisdiction’s name, and go to the official website.
Not all local governments have websites or a particular website may be temporarily inoperable. If you cannot locate the website you seek after reasonable exploration, document your search attempt and locate another comparable local government website for analysis.
4. Your resident city or nearest major city City and Town websites normally may be found by entering the name of the city and looking for the city’s official website (e.g., City of Seattle). Not all city governments have websites or a particular website may be temporarily inoperable. If you cannot locate the website you seek after reasonable exploration, document your search attempt and locate another comparable local government website for analysis.
After a general review of the federal government’s website, search for available in- formation about the federal budget. Respond to the following questions in your own words.
1. What are the major issues discussed in the budget message?
2. What is the scope of information (e.g., types of information, level of detail, and breadth of coverage regarding federal operations) on the website that relates to the overall budget?
3. Choose and locate a specific federal agency or department of interest.Note the department or agency as well and the URL above. Describe the budget information available about the agency or department with specific details in your words.
4. What is your critique of the federal government’s attempt to disclose budget information from an interested citizen’s perspective?
After a general review of your state’s website, search for available information about your state’s budget. Note your state’s name and URL above, and respond to the following questions in your own words.
1. What are the major issues discussed in the budget message or overview?
2. What is the scope of state budget information (e.g., types of information, level of detail, and breadth of coverage regarding state operations) on the website that relates to the overall budget?
Choose and locate a specific agency or department of interest in your state government. Note the department or agency as well as the URL above.Respond to the following questions in your own words.
3. Describe the budget information available about that agency or department with specific details in your words.
4. What is your critique of the jurisdiction’s attempt to disclose budget information from an interested citizen’s perspective?
After a general review of your county, borough, or parish’s website, search for avail- able budget information about the jurisdiction. Note the name of your local governing body and URL above.
Respond to the following questions in your own words.
1. What are the major issues discussed in the budget message or overview?
2. What is the scope of the jurisdiction’s budget information (e.g., types of information, level of detail, and breadth of coverage regarding the jurisdiction’soperations) on the website that relates to the overall budget?
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