Public budgeting is inherently political: too often, short-term partisan goals overrun long-term public interest. By presenting federal, state, and local budgeting within a clear, comparative framework, Rubin’s classic text focuses on the issues of federalism and the political jockeying that influences all governmental budgets.

Updated throughout to account for recent issues in budgeting, the sixth edition includes coverage of the Alternative Minimum Tax controversy, mayoral vetoes, state legislatures’ role in the budgeting process, conflicts between inspectors general and executives, PART evaluations, and more. In addition, Rubin now pays even greater attention to budgeting within state and local systems, incorporating examples from across the nation and better preparing students for future careers at all levels of government. Analyzing each strand of the decision-making process, Rubin shows the extraordinary coordination involved in passing a budget and achieving accountability.

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1. The Politics of Public Budgets
2. Revenue Politics
3. The Politics of Process
4. The Dynamics of Changing Budget Processes
5. Expenditures: The Politics of Choice
6. The Politics of Balancing the Budget
7. Budget Execution: The Politics of Adaptation
8. Budget Implementation and Control
9. Budgetary Decision Making and Politics

“We are truly fortunate that Irene Rubin has updated her classic work on budgeting to keep pace with our rapidly changing budget world. This remains the one book I would assign students and practitioners alike who are looking for an incisive and clear discussion of budgeting at all levels of government.”

“Professor's Rubin's clear understanding of federal, state and local politics on budget and revenue issues makes this a valuable book for practitioners, students and the general public. What's unique is her presentation of the dynamics of budgeting: interests, parties, officials, policymakers, and the public gather, dispute, regroup and clash in a lifelike picture of issues central to American life. The examples and Professor Rubin's insight and sometimes acerbic wit give vitality to this essential work.”

“Irene Rubin is among the most perceptive analysts of budgetary politics in the United States. The Politics of Public Budgeting is a valuable book for both students and scholars. Its descriptions of budget institutions and processes at all levels of government are effectively illustrated by the skillful use of minicases. Its insights and conclusions about events and policies are informed by the incorporation of contemporary scholarly research. The benefit from reading this book far exceeds the cost of buying it; it is a bargain at its price.”

“Irene Rubin is simply the best, the unparalleled best, when it comes to making the abstract world of government budgeting easy to understand. With clarity and insight, and through telling examples, Professor Rubin explains how budgets are built, how they operate, how they can fail and the subtle techniques that are used to hide costs and defer problems into the future. There is simply no better source to learn the reality of government spending practices than The Politics of Public Budgeting.”