Public Budgeting in Context: Structure, Law, Reform and Results

“The scope of this book is breathtaking. It includes not only federal, state, and local budgeting in the US, complete with historical development and as embedded in the literature, but also provides a running comparison of the US with a variety of other countries. A careful reading of this book provides not only a series of answers to traditional questions, but also questions for the curious, about how legal, political structure, and culture influence budget process and outcomes.”
—Irene Rubin, Ph.D, Professor Emerita, Department of Public Administration, Northern Illinois University

“Over the years, there have been a lot of good books written about US national budgeting. There have been some good books written about state and local budgeting. There have even been a small number that deal with budgeting in an international context. I am not aware, however, of any book that has attempted to do what this book does, which is to look at federal, subnational, and international budgeting in a single volume. It will prove to be an invaluable resource for students and researchers in a world where budgeting, like governing, is ubiquitous.”
—Philip Joyce, Ph.D, Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland

“Good budgeting is critical to good government and the success of nations. In this book, Katherine Willoughby summons her impressive domestic and international experience to bring us a masterful accounting of how to achieve just that.”
—Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, Ph.D, Regents Professor of Economics and Director, International Center for Public Policy, Georgia State University

“At a time when the public sector struggles with fiscal challenges, this timely book provides clear and accessible explanation and analysis of major budget issues drawn from the experiences of governments at all levels both in the US and abroad. This book will upgrade the budget literacy of students seeking an intelligent introduction to the field as well as deepen the understanding of those with more advanced expertise and experience.”
—Paul Posner, Ph.D, Director of Public Administration, George Mason University