Category: Budget

The Challenge of Balancing the Budget in Lawsona City

Every level of government is faced with the challenge of balancing its budget in order to fulfill financial obligations, maintain operations, and expand public programs. The city of Lawsona is described as having experienced a deficit during the previous budget cycle. It can be assumed that the town’s participation in redeveloping a mall contributed significant expenses to the long-term budget. The city administration is seeking methods to yield revenue and maintain the operation of services such as public transportation.

Economic vitality results from increased spending on goods and services. This is especially relevant on a smaller scale as such revenue goes directly to private businesses owned by and directly cooperating with people from the local community. Any economic factors that could result in individuals and businesses cutting spending may lead to a recession. Sales tax is usually regressive, forcing those with a low or middle level of income to pay proportionately more than wealthy consumers.

This inverse relationship between tax rate and income affects consumption (Shafritz, Russell, & Borick, 2016). Therefore, fiscal policy that attempts to fix budget deficits through an indirect tax increase will have a negative impact on consumer spending and tax revenues.

Introducing or increasing sales tax without proper consideration is a poor decision in terms of fiscal management on the part of the city leaders of Lawsona. The rate should be based on the condition of the city budget and possible contingencies in the economy. Basic sales tax accounts for less than 10% of own-source general revenue at the local government level (Tax Policy Center, 2015).

Supporters argue that a sales tax can be a vital tool for quickly gaining revenue, being administratively easy to implement and apply on a wide scale. The tax is transparent, and the public is usually aware of the rates. However, a higher sales tax will increase the burden on family households, resulting in tax base erosion, decreased sales, and falling housing prices (Shon & Chung, 2017). Rising sales taxes discourage consumer purchasing and shift behaviors to reduce expenditures for services and entertainment. In combination, these factors deteriorate revenue capacity and drive customers to seek alternatives for goods and services through e-commerce or neighboring geographical areas offering lower tax rates for consumer products (Mazerov, 2015).

Thus, this tax will decrease local consumer spending, a detrimental outcome if the city wants to support and receive a return on investment from the new shopping center. As a result, the local businesses and economy will begin to experience a financial crisis. Insignificant revenue gains by the city administration will come at the cost of frugal consumer behavior that is difficult to reverse.

The realities of the modern economy make it necessary to implement a sales tax as a method for collecting revenue. The recession in the property market and stateside industrial production has severely limited tax revenue streams. Instead of cutting back on critical public programs, city officials can consider a balanced fiscal approach that brings in revenue together with modernizing the tax code and considering the needs of working-class families.

The increase in the sales tax must be gradual and should be legally constrained as temporary. An established time period for the increase will enable a large part of the population to understand the necessity for a sales tax as a revenue-boosting method to fund public programs. Furthermore, selective sales and excise tax should be implemented to target non-critical products. A modernized tax code must consider various aspects of the economy and eliminate tax breaks for out-of-state and e-commerce shoppers to target more affluent consumers.

In order to support the working class, policies can be developed to increase tax rebates to low-income families. Meanwhile, budget cuts should avoid vital programs that aid families facing hardship (Washington State Budget and Policy Center, n.d.). A carefully planned and socially competent approach to implementing a sales tax will help the city of Lawsona to balance its budget without creating an economic downturn that affects the consumer population.

References

Mazerov, M. (2015). Shifting from income to sales taxes won’t boost state economies. Web.

Shafritz, J. M., Russell, E. W., & Borick, C. P. (2016). Introducing public administration. New York, NY: Routledge.

Shon, J., & Chung, I. H. (2017). Unintended consequences of local sales tax: Capitalization of sales taxes into housing prices. Public Performance & Management Review, 1-22. Web.

Tax Policy Center. (2015). State (and local) taxes. Web.

Washington State Budget and Policy Center. (n.d.). Increasing and modernizing the sales tax. Web.

Introduction

Miami-Dade Public Schools is among the largest district public schools in United States, comprising of about 400 schools, 350,000 students and more than 39,000 employees. It is located at the southern part of the Florida isthmus. It covers more than 2,000 square miles of different and vivacious communities arraying from countryside, suburban to inner-cities and municipalities. Miami district schools forms a universal community; this is from not only the ability of the students to speak about 60 languages but also their representation of 160 countries.

The students’ achievement gives it a state of honor and national recognition, for instance in the year 2012, Design and Architecture Senior High School was ranked position 16 out of 200 public schools in the United States. However, for Miami-Dade district public schools to maintain or boost student success, it has to incorporate logical budget planning.

Miami district schools’ budget of the FY 2012-13 is approximately $69,677 an incredible $582 fall from 2010-11 budget. Since 2010, the property values have tumbled the universal economy has spluttered, and the employment market has languished. However, the Miami-Dade district has incorporated guiding principles to provide direction in plotting a route through the predictable contraction as ways of improving on radical decline in income.

Miami-Dade district public schools has inoculated guiding principles to effect the achievement of the proposed budget, and among them include, improving student achievement, protecting the classroom, protecting effective workforce, and maintaining the monetary feasibility of the district.

Revenues

Miami-Dade district schools have diverse sources of revenue that contribute to their success, and they include federal revenue, state revenue, local revenue, and property revenue.

Federal revenue contributes approximately $17.5 to the financial status of Miami-Dade public schools. On the other hand, the state revenue is approximately $1,122.7; it contributes immensely to the running of the Miami Dade public schools. Local revenue is approximately $1,212.9 whereas transfers from capital fund contribute $107.1 to the success of Miami-Dade public schools. In sum, beginning fund balance also impacts significantly to the running of the Miami-Dade district school, for instance in the year 2011-2012, $173.5 was included in revenue from the beginning fund balance to balance the budget.

Expenditures

The projected expenditures of Miami district schools sum up to approximately $ 35,004. The allocation of raised money in the expenditure included allocation of $1,059 to the office of the property appraiser, $3,043 towards maintenance of personal properties, $2,557 to the management of the real estate commercial. Further, Miami district school county allocated $10,177 to the management of the real estate residential areas, $5,977 to the office in charge of value adjustments, board appeals and legal matters.

To effect the role played by the administration, the Miami district school municipality allocated $2,946 to the administrative support in the budget. To meet the demands of the public, the Miami municipality also allocated $2,725 to governmental exemptions and public services as a part of the budget. The quest for advancement technologically made the Miami municipality allocate $6,520 towards the advancement of the information systems for the better provision of services and administrative functions.

Capital

In FY 2012-2013, Miami public schools district proves to be bankrupt in terms of capital dollars. In the budget of 2011-12, Miami-Dade had about $90 million budget deficit, which together with the maintenance of its almost 400 schools and amenities were postponed to the budget of FY2012-2013. In addition, $92 million drop in property tax revenue impacted the funding of the Miami-Dade district schools leading to the drop of the budget of the FY2012-2013.

Accessibility of information

Despite the failings in the running of the Miami district public schools within Miami-Dade County, the pieces of information about the running of Miami-Dade County are easily assessable on the internet. Different sites give almost related and detailed information about Miami-Dade. Various reasons must have geared Miami Dade Public Schools into providing pieces of information about themselves on the websites, some of the reasons include the need for transparency, need for critical review, as a channel of making the public aware of the running of Miami-Dade, or as a way of making the public aware of the development and resource use by the management.

Most of the top officials involved in the running of Miami-Dade public schools posted pieces of information about Miami-Dade on the websites as ways of clearing their names of any cases of fraud that might have spread to the public. Some of the officials also must have had excellent reputations that needed to protect, hence their portrayal of transparency through exposing the management information of the Miami-Dade to the public.

Success of many Counties relies on the public opinion on resource use and administration; this is because the criticisms from the public make managements identify their weakness. Therefore, Miami-Dade management team must have chosen the web to have its management criticized in order to gather public opinions on how to carry out their roles.

In addition, management of Miami-Dade Public Schools is answerable to the public on matters of leadership, to effect this, management of Miami-Dade District Public Schools post pieces of information about the schools on the websites.

Individuals involved in budget decision making

The discussions and decisions concerning budgeting of Miami-Dade county is carried out by all members of the county who have access to the on-line services. The management of the Miami-Dade Public Schools unites the public to the daily running of the schools; through allowing the members from the public air their views via participation on online chats and mails. In addition, the practice of non-discrimination policy in offering employments grants all individuals regardless of race or economic status the opportunities of airing their views on the amicable ways of management.

Challenges to achievement of the proposed budget

For Miami-Dade district public schools to achieve its goals as per the outline of its budget, a lot of work and dedication has to be imposed. This is due to the current recession that has tremendously slashed its sources of revenue. In addition, the amount achieved from the sources of revenue is not that enough to cater for rehabilitation and renovations of the schools in the Miami-Dade County, the schools need hundreds of millions to cater for the upgrade of roofs, water plumbing and electrical systems. Miami-Dade district public schools also suffer from the growing debts it has imposed on funders, for instance it has an accumulative debt of about $182 million that is supposed to pay.

Miami-Dade municipality covers a broad area compared to other districts in the United State, due to its size; it gives the management individuals’ hard times in fulfilling their management roles. In addition, the members of the board have additional roles of ensuring the schools are run effectively despite the increase in school expenses and drastic drop in funding of the capital projects within the schools.

Political issues also contribute significantly to the draining of the anticipations of Miami-Dade County. This is because; in allowing politics to run within the schools, the schools lose their reputations leading to funders and taxpayers to stop funding them. In addition, the hatched plan of deploying some employees as means of balancing the budget will contribute substantially to the drop of Miami-Dade schools; this is because it will create political issues, which may result to lose of potential funders. The shrinking of the capital dollars also imposes a significant challenge to the management of the Miami-Dade district public schools.

Role of the public representative in the board

It is essential for the Management of Miami-Dade public schools to reconsider the inclusion of some of individuals from the public in decision making. The members from the public contribute significantly towards the success of the Miami-Dade public schools, by not only giving views on how to manage the schools, but also participating in the boosting of the local economy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, despite the well known causes of the failings of the management of Miami-Dade district public schools little is inputted to solve the problems. For instance, the management currently is plotting on ways of doing away with some employees, whereas it is suffering from lack of enough manpower to carry out some neglected roles within the schools. It would have been also essential if the management had incorporated some of the public members into to its board.

This is because the members from the public would have played a significant role in aiding in decision making in order to reduce chances of continuing failing in terms of management and performance.

Thomas Wright’s article looks at the collapse of the seven-decade-old status quo of American foreign policy under the Trump administration. It further discusses how this break affects party politics within the U.S., the difficulties Trump faced in actually realizing his vision of reduced American military presence globally, as well as the dangers associated with his potential reelection. Furthermore, the revelations about people’s attitudes towards a smaller American presence on the world stage and the popularity of Trump’s internally-focused strategy concerning global affairs revealed is examined.

For seventy years, the United States government enjoyed an implied bipartisan agreement on the broader strokes of America’s involvement in the wider world and its role on the global stage (Wright, 2020). While the minutiae were a near-constant source of disagreement between the Republican and Democratic parties, the general views on the “system of alliances, the forward positioning of forces, a relatively open international economy” (Wright, 2020, p. 10), all the while attempting to adhere to the principles of democracy, freedom and human rights were aligned. Under the Trump administration, that consensus was made null and void, to the concern not only of the opposing Democrats but members of Trump’s party.

The matter of the United States’ costly and drawn-out intervention globally is tied to the realist school of international relations. The argument is that, due to the secure position the U.S. enjoys globally, there is only minimal impact on national interests from the interventions. According to this view, retrenchment is a practical solution and the logical route of the future. Wright (2020) argues that as the focus of the U.S. foreign policy shifts from counter-terrorism to competition with the great powers of China and Russia, it should reduce certain overseas commitments but certainly not abandon a decades-long strategy that has seen great returns. Critics of the foreign policy status quo argue for two key foreign policy strategies needed going forward: drawing back the U.S. intervention abroad and practicing a hitherto unseen restraint in the case of foreign intervention.

The first strategy that supporters of retrenchment support are that of withdrawing the U.S. from prior commitments, both in terms of military operations and support in the Middle East and in the case of supposedly unequal alliances with countries and blocks within Europe and Asia. The second strategy, one of restraint, suggests a narrower definition of the U.S. interests, with a greater focus on economic, political, and diplomatic relations and a refusal to engage in military actions that do not directly affect the vital interests of the country (Wright, 2020). For these strategies to be implemented, the U.S. would have to cease military operations, such as those in Afghanistan, withdraw its forces from the broader Middle East, acquit itself of the reasonability for other state’s security, and rely on a new and untried method of upholding national interests (Wright, 2020). One aspect of the case for retrenchment is the immense economic cost of participating in a seemingly endless conflict in a far country such as Afghanistan. Indeed, one of the main arguments of some supporters of retrenchment is that the government has allowed itself to be distracted from the greater picture with expensive interventions and commitments abroad that do nothing to help the U.S. image.

Four articles, written between 2013 and 2020, look at America’s global role from various angles, and each reaches different conclusions. The overwhelming view presented by Wright (2020) is one of moderation in terms of radical changes to foreign policy and reducing overseas interventions. Wright’s (2020) overall argument is that the question of retrenchment must be analyzed from a truly global perspective, not focused solely on the Middle East. While bogged down and lacking purpose in the Middle East, he argues there is a clear rationale for continued presence in Europe and Asia, where shared interests and objectives are enjoyed with stable partners. This view is supported by Brooks et al. (2013), in an article suggesting that a minimal withdrawal may be sound in the current times, but that leaving entirely would have few benefits for the United States. Their article underlines the lack of assured economic profit from withdrawing and the importance of global involvement in securing peace in volatile areas and smoothing the path of international cooperation.

However, these conclusions are not universal and are indeed challenged by other perspectives. Posen (2013) offers a contrasting view: in fact, meaningful benefits to be found in a reduction of active involvement. This article maintains that the benefits of greater restraint on the global stage, given prudent actions from Washington, would save both resources, and lives, and prevent pushback (Posen, 2013). Wartheim (2020) is even more critical of America’s global role than Posen. Rather than focusing on the pros and cons of withdrawing the U.S. presence, Wartheim (2020) launches a scathing attack on American foreign policy since the end of the Cold War and argues it has made the world and America less safe. This view leads to a call for the complete withdrawal of the U.S. military, and a change in the overall strategy to focus, instead, on the common good. The only consensus between the articles is the need for withdrawal; however, the proposed scope of the withdrawal differs vastly. Wright and Posen argue for the devil you know, or in this case, the reliable return on active involvement in global affairs, while Brooks et al. and Wertheim are more critical of the status quo and demand more significant withdrawal and the charting of a new course.

References

Brooks, S. G., Ikenberry, G. J. & Wohlforth, W. (2013). Lean Forward: In Defense of American Engagement. Foreign Affairs, 92(1), 130-142.

Posen, B. R. (2013). Pull Back: The Case for a Less Activist Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, 92(1), 116-128.

Wertheim, S. (2020). The Price of Primacy: Why America Shouldn’t Dominate the World. Foreign Affairs, 99(2), 19-29.

Wright, T. (2020). The Folly of Retrenchment: Why America Can’t Withdraw from the World. Foreign Affairs, 99(2). 10-18.

Introduction

The matter of budget cuts affects many a governmental organization and to be able to deal with it is an efficient chief’s responsibility. The issue at hand is how to implement budget restrictions and what basis to use to lay off workers. The external influence, in this case, is the public perception and internal influence concerns the workers’ performance and mental health. Considering these factors, the best possible solution in this situation lies in using the method that aligns best with the department’s mission statement.

Discussion

The presented issue could be resolved using the diversity tactic or the performance tactic. In the first case, the chief could opt for the diversity plan, in which it is ensured that there is an equal number of police officers and personnel from various demographics. This approach would be beneficial in obtaining the public’s approval and support. The downside of this method would be the potential to fire workers that are more professional and fitted for their positions.

Another matter to consider is the benefits of a diversified workspace. Employees from varying backgrounds that possess diverse experiences and approaches to life can make unique decisions. They can point out flaws in people’s approaches toward subjects that are more familiar to them. Therefore, the advantages of having different perspectives in the working environment include higher productivity, better problem-solving, and the ability to identify and manage potential biases. In addition, laying off minority group members could be a source of a legal case for discrimination.

The trust between the public and the police is the essential element of the police forces’ success in protecting the citizens and communities. In a situation when this trust has been compromised, it is imperative to take steps to rebuild it. The current socio-political discourse heavily revolves around the subject of equal rights and support for minority groups. The public’s opinion could easily be swayed in the negative direction if the police system does not show this support as well.

The second solution is to base the firing process on performance and seeking input from trusted coworkers. The resulting layoffs might upset the public, further intensifying the problem. On the other hand, basing retaining on performance qualities does not necessarily entail a significant loss of workers from minority groups. Their diversified experiences are likely to place them in a position of higher prowess. In addition, the best managing practice is to be fair and consistent, which is exemplified in this approach.

It is necessary to maintain a focus on community policing while maintaining and improving relationships with the community by ensuring public safety to keep with the department’s mission statement. Given the diminished state of the force, it is expected that the public will feel less secure, and it is imperative to defend the citizens with the utmost diligence. In this particular case, the prioritized job functions are patrolling, reporting, observing, and responding to emergencies, and high-visibility policing. Therefore, the second solution is the best course of action. To implement it, the workers’ performance needs to be analyzed and evaluated. Furthermore, a thorough evaluation will create a basis for a fair and just distribution of work and assignments for the retained professionals.

To keep with the mission statement, staffing within the patrolling division need to be prioritized. To do so, it is first necessary to identify community issues and conditions. Based on which problems are prominent in the department’s area of jurisdiction, the personnel needs to be chosen accordingly. For example, if the neighborhoods suffer from street crime, officers with experience in aggressive patrol will be essential for the force (Cordner, 2019). Secondly, officers with provenly good public relations and communication skills need to be placed in the prioritized group. It is imperative to remember that police forces rely on the community’s cooperation and trust. Police officers that can communicate clearly and transparently are highly valuable in the instance when the connection between the force and the citizens need to be repaired.

To carry out a just and fair laying-off process, several factors need to be taken into consideration. The chief needs to consider psychiatric evaluation to establish the workers’ mental state and ability to perform in stressful situations. The officer’s and staff’s mental health is a crucial factor to consider, given the fact that due to cuts, their work will suffer significant complications.

It is highly necessary to consider the impact the diminished employee circle will have on staff morale and overall motivation. The principles based on emotional intelligence (EQ) leadership would be beneficial for this instance. Such qualities of EQ as self-awareness, empathy, and social skills, will allow the chief to know the inner workings of the employees’ relationships and office climate (Cordner, 2019). The first management method for this situation will be to meaningfully interact with colleagues and identify those who are considered unreplaceable pillars of the work environment. These people cannot be laid off from their positions since their removal will be a detriment to morale. The second management method is to be clear, honest, and open to communication. An air of uncertainty within the structure could lead to heightened stress and anxiety among the officers, which, in turn, might result in workspace conflict. In the given situation, confrontations are one of the least favorable occurrences in the process of creating a positive public perception of the department. The third management method would be to show self-regulation by staying calm and collected and thereby motivating colleagues to do the same.

The budget cuts, more specifically the restrictions on equipment and programs fundings, can affect the officers’ motivation and performance. Several steps can be taken to implement these cuts without risking detrimental outcomes. First, the items that could be considered luxurious can be cut out of budget planning. Second, certain items could be removed by precedent simply consulting other departments and identifying what they had found to be unnecessary. In addition, instead of replacement, the equipment could be renovated or repaired. The use of these strategies would lessen the impact of newly imposed budgetary restrictions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when deciding layoffs and budgetary restrictions, a plethora of factors need to be considered. When devising an appropriate solution, it is imperative to adhere to the department’s mission statement and maintain fairness and justice toward the workers. To ensure this fairness, various evaluation and prioritization processes need to take place. Given the undoubtable hardship presented by this situation, it is the leader’s responsibility to motivate and support the workers throughout this ordeal.

Reference

Cordner, G. W. (2019). Police Administration (10th ed.). Taylor & Francis. Web.

The Status of the Police Department in my County

The mission of the police is to maintain law and order among the citizens. In the US, a large amount of the county’s budgetary allocation goes to the criminal justice department. At the moment, this department in my county takes more than 50% of the total budget. The county has experienced high rates of crimes and drug abuse for a long time. It was for this reason that our local government decided to raise the amount allocated to the police department from 20% in 2013 to the current amount. However, this amount is still not enough for fighting crime. We have been struggling to satisfy all the requirements for proper policing with this little amount of money.

Alternative Solutions to High Costs of Security

Our county appropriation authority has asked us to reduce our expenditure by 20%. However, reducing our budget by this percentage will greatly affect our service delivery. Levels of insecurity are likely to reach a critical. As the Chief Administrator of Police in this county, I decided to come up with three possible solutions to this crisis. The solutions are; community policing, strict legislation, and a crackdown on known gangs.

Community policing entails involving members of the community in the provision of security (East Auston Stories, 2009). This program has existed in different parts of this country for many years. However, in my county, this service has not achieved the same results as other county governments did. I plan to revamp community policing by equipping members of the community with basic military skills. I want to attain this goal by bringing military officers to the community to train the citizens. Individuals who go through this training program will then provide security to the rest of the citizens. This training will help reduce the amount of money the county spends on transporting police to places where people live. Citizens will acquire skills that will help them take care of themselves, their families, and their friends.

My second solution is constraining criminal gangs. The department of police has identified all criminal gangs and their hideouts. I would schedule several police operations on these gangs to completely stop them. The police will have arrested and taken to court members of all criminal gangs within the next two months. Arresting criminals will minimize the rate of crime, and, therefore, the department will reduce the money it spends on fighting crime by close to 50 %.

The third solution involves putting in place strict laws to control and punish offenders. I am planning to present a bill to our parliament seeking to introduce a curfew in all our major towns and cities. If this bill comes into law, it will prohibit people from walking around the town after 11 pm. People who will go against this law will spend four months in jail. I came up with this bill when I researched the time when most crimes occur. My study revealed that most criminal activities occur after 10 -11 pm.

Effects of the recommendations and positive and negative sited of the programs

Giving military training to members of the community is likely to have both positive and negative impacts on the functions and image of the police force. The main positive effect of this training is the ability of some members to provide security to the rest of the community. Citizens will not always have to depend on the police for protection. The other positive effect is the ease of arresting criminals. Members of the community know all the criminals in their neighborhood. They, therefore, take less time arresting criminals than the police. Such pieces of training will bring together the police and the community. A partnership between the police and citizens is very critical in improving the image of the police. People will see them as friends, and not enemies as many people think.

However, training ordinary people can be very risky. After the acquisition of skills, individuals can use them in the perpetration of crimes (ATMello3, 2011). They may use their skills in attacking innocent citizens instead of protecting them. The method of selecting the people to join the training, therefore, has to be very careful to prevent recruiting more criminals.

Arresting members of criminal gangs will reduce the crime rate in the community by lowering the number of people with criminal mentalities. Consequently, the police department will spend less money on running after criminals than when the number of criminals is high. The negative side of such actions is that people will see the police as enemies.

Curfews will drastically reduce police expenditure. When people are not free to roam at night, a small number of officers will be able to patrol and deal with anybody with a criminal mind. However, they might arrest or even shoot innocent people who go out for unavoidable reasons. Such actions will portray a negative image of the police.

I will have organized training for all policemen to help them prevent the occurrence of problems during the implementation of this program. They will learn how to differentiate between criminals and innocent citizens while patrolling. They will also learn how to train members of the community without causing injuries to them. The police should also know that it is their responsibility to arrest criminals and not shoot them.

References

ATMello3 (2011). Waterbury Police Department on community policing. Web.

East Auston Stories (2009). Community Policing Part 1. Web.

Funding for all intelligence and related activities within all Department of Homeland Security components should be transferred to the National Intelligence Program, under the financial management control of the Director of National Intelligence. The current situation in the country requires an increase in intelligence spending on defense and national security, as well as a clear focus on threats from a number of countries.

The budget should cover a wide range of spending areas, including spy satellites, cyber weapons, and developing a network of foreign spies and informants (Sauter & Carafano, 2019). Despite the fact that the transfer of funds should remain secret, it is possible to disclose some details of the change in costs and explain them by an increase in costs due to a shift in focus from the fight against terrorism to espionage and the fight against cyber threats from other states. A similar reallocation of the budget will be made, taking into account new national security and national intelligence strategies.

Countering the potential available to certain countries is a complex process, and shifting the focus of the information agencies to the competition of countries requires more resources. It is important that such a decision be approved by Congress. In accordance with the new responsibility, the Director of National Intelligence will be able to balance the costs so that all critical areas are covered (Lowenthal, 2019).

The new funding program will sponsor U.S. intelligence community projects and activities to gather the information necessary to ensure America’s national security. It is important that additional injections will give impetus to programs of intelligence, counterintelligence, and monitoring of the activities of foreign countries at the state level. Thus, a series of programs implemented by agencies that are not formally part of structures that directly ensure America’s military security will be included in the national intelligence program.

In addition to the arguments listed above, it should be noted that the United States needs to reassess the capabilities of several countries in the field of space warfare. The increased ability of some countries to interfere with satellites or the possibility of their destruction poses a real threat to the United States, so additional expenditures are inevitable. Countries with greater military potential can consider space as a sphere of the country’s military and economic vulnerability (Sauter & Carafano, 2019). Some countries already have cyber, electromagnetic, and orbital weapons capable of hitting US space objects, which makes the country vulnerable. Against the background of these fears, the National Intelligence Program will require intensive financial injections since they will help maintain US national security in space.

Thus, it can be concluded that the transfer of funds is necessary due to the fact that US opponents are looking for ways to inflict catastrophic damage to the country’s security, primarily through the use of various forms of weapons. They resort to modern technological solutions that pose threats in outer and cybernetic space. The country’s security challenges are becoming increasingly apparent, which requires immediate additional funding infusions. New types of anti-satellite weapons can reduce the level of American military superiority. The transfer of funding to the National Intelligence Program will enhance resilience to cyber threats and increase the volume of information obtained. Moreover, the United States will be able to expand its ability to curb malicious activity from other countries.

It is not recommended to transfer The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) to the Department of Homeland Security due to a number of reasons. Firstly, it does not belong to the military component of the US intelligence community and has functions that are different from those performed by the Department of Homeland Security. Its main task is to supervise the activities of United States government representatives in the fight against international terrorism and extremist activity, both domestically and abroad (Meese, Nielsen, & Sondheimer, 2018). Secondly, it combines their capabilities in the interests of ensuring the unity of efforts in the fight against international terrorism.

Thirdly, the center carries out informational and analytical work and collects data from various sources. The organization collects any information regarding international terrorism as well as counter-terrorism. Its task is the early recognition of terrorist threats and the transfer of this information to the appropriate authorities. Also, the center is engaged in strategic planning of operations aimed at protecting the population.

In its turn, the Department of National Security has specific tasks in the field of enhancing cybersecurity and infrastructure security. At present, this structure is the main body dedicated to ensuring the protection of government networks and critical infrastructure from cyber threats. These functions are related to what the former institution is doing; however, their activities do not overlap in all aspects. The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for the proper positioning of forces to protect US infrastructure from digital and physical threats (Meese et al., 2018).

One of the main goals that this organization aims to achieve is a complete reorganization so that the maximum focus is made on cyberspace. Cyber threats from other powerful states that are constantly growing testify to the need to the activities of this structure to be specialized. In addition to this task, the Department of National Security is responsible for the prevention and elimination of the consequences of cyber-attacks on critical facilities of the Armed Forces.

It is worth noting that a specially trained group is constantly working as part of the National Counterterrorism Center, and it monitors the situation in the most dangerous regions of the planet. Consequently, it constantly updates databases on international terrorists and terrorist organizations and ensures the safety of this information. From this point of view, close cooperation between the center and the Department of National Security is necessary so that the data are provided immediately when needed. Nevertheless, collaboration with departments is not a reason for the transition.

The center also actively collaborates with national intelligence to address issues such as harnessing the capabilities of the US intelligence community to counter terrorism (Oliver, Marion, & Hill, 2019). This is achieved by establishing communication and prioritizing data mining. The activities of the National Counterterrorism Center are based on the study, analysis, and assessment of terrorist threats to US national security, and forecasting their implementation in the long term.

Consequently, the transition of the center under the direction of the Department of National Security is not recommended. The first structure is engaged in the management of operational planning, and its task is the strategic outlining of the subsequent actions. The center collects, summarizes, analyzes, and evaluates data and provides intelligence information to other power systems. The Department of Homeland Security has other tasks that overlap with the activities of the center, but it has different goals essentially.

References

Lowenthal, M. M. (2019). Intelligence: From secrets to policy (8th ed.). Washington, DC: CQ Press.

Meese, M. J., Nielsen, S. C., & Sondheimer, R. M. (2018). American national security (7th ed.). Baltimore, MD: JHU Press.

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2019). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and administration (2nd. ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Sauter, M., & Carafano, J. J. (2019). Homeland security: A complete guide (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional.

It is worth noting that the issue of budget transparency about the Intelligence Community is acute, and it is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of whether it is worth supporting or rejecting the Intelligence Budget Transparency Act. This issue is important because the higher the level of secrecy is, the more difficult it is to understand the specifics of Intelligence services, and the more difficult it is to evaluate how effectively they use the funds (DeVine, 2019). In the absence of reliable and up-to-date information, oversight authorities cannot determine and fully assess the role and direction of Intelligence and cannot answer the question of whether funds are being spent to ensure the safety and freedom of citizens.

On the one hand, certain aspects of the Intelligence Community and its activities need to remain hidden since, otherwise, the success of the work of this agency could be compromised. On the other hand, secrecy or partial transparency contradicts the very essence of democratic governance due to the fact that it does not allow establishing full control over Intelligence Community, and this creates a fertile ground for abuse. In this regard, the full implementation of the budget process following the principle of transparency is an unattainable task. In particular, each minor event contributes to the possibility of control or more efficient use of budget funds (Oliver et al., 2019).

At the same time, some budget instruments that are introduced only at first glance increase budget transparency, but in reality, they can be a source of corruption. Even though budget development is proceeding rapidly, problem areas in the direction of transparency of the budget process remain unresolved (Oliver et al., 2019). A compilation of both legal and economic instruments and methods is required to be able to achieve an adequate level of transparency.

References

DeVine, M. E. (2019). Intelligence Community spending: Trends and issues. Congressional Research Service. Web.

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2019). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and administration (2^nd. ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Today, in the United States, the diminishing crime rates have created an erroneous perception among state legislatures, key public policy figures, and mainstream commentators that crime and the administration of the criminal justice system are no longer urgent and important themes for public policy debates and discourse (Yearwood, 2009), resulting in significant budget cuts over the years for a department that is considered critical in the maintenance of law and order (American Bar Association, 2008).

In light of this erroneous perception, the state legislature is currently considering reducing by 50 percent all funding for community policing, drug courts, prison treatment programs, and other programs that are fundamental to the effective administration of the criminal justice system. This proposal should be shelved as it will jeopardize the department’s ability to operate effectively and efficiently, and to meet the fundamental aims of the criminal justice system.

It should be noted that “while criminal justice funding has dropped, the workload or activity of the system has risen; a rise that has been dramatic in several areas” (Yearwood, 2009 p. 674). For instance, adult and juvenile arrests have grown significantly in the last couple of years due to community policing programs, resulting in substantial reductions in criminal activities in society (Yearwood, 2009). Implementing budget cuts for community policing programs will not only reverse the gains already made in keeping crime levels down but also adversely affect the morale of law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime due to diminishing resources.

In the same vein, the growing need for effective prison treatment programs for offenders has necessitated the criminal justice administration to apportion a substantial budget to these programs particularly on account of their viability in reducing recidivism rates and ensuring that offenders are successfully reintegrated back into society as responsible citizens after completing their prison terms (Worrall, 2010). Any attempt to underfund these programs will have multiple negative effects as recidivism will certainly rise and prisoner reintegration will be difficult to achieve, resulting in increased crime levels within the communities and a clogged criminal justice system.

Additionally, it is enviable to note that drug courts have served as an effective tool in the fight against the trafficking and abuse of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Since the introduction of drug courts in the American justice system, many drug dealers have been removed from the streets, crime levels have certainly declined, and many lives have been saved from the self-destructive behaviors initiated by drugs (Worrall, 2010). However, a reduction in funding will have far-reaching ramifications in the department’s capacity to fight the drug lords by effectively shutting down numerous programs and operations that have already been put in place to ensure the streets are free from drugs and crime.

The consequences of underfunding the criminal justice system have been well documented in the literature. In many American states, criminal justice personnel is in real danger of burnout due to budget cuts, while client files have been reported missing as management staff engages in doing clerical tasks due to serious funding deficits (White, 2009). Such a predisposition only compromises the rule of law and hinders consistency, predictability, dependability, steadiness, and equal access to justice, implying that all the hallmarks of the criminal justice system are sacrificed by budgetary constraints (Zack, 2012).

Ultimately, therefore, the immediate task for the state legislature should be to come up with ways and strategies that could be used to reinforce substantial budgetary allocations to the criminal justice department rather than constraining funding. The social and moral fabric of the society is firmly predicated upon the effective and efficient operations of the criminal justice system (Edmon, 2012), hence the need to ensure that funding for this department is not compromised.

References

American Bar Association. (2008). Criminal justice system improvements. Web.

Edmon, L.S. (2012). Keeping courtrooms open in times of steep budget cuts. Judges Journal, 51(1), 18-21.

White, J.G. (2009). Court funding – A good first step. Florida Bar Journal, 83(3), 6-8.

Worrall, J.L. (2010). Do federal law enforcement grants reduce serious crime? Criminal Justice Policy Review, 21(4), 459-475.

Yearwood, D.L. (2009). Criminal justice funding in North Carolina: A system in crisis. Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Services, 1(3), 672-686. Web.

Zack, S.N. (2012). Financial crisis and the rule of law. Judges Journal, 51(1), 14-15.

The concept of budgeting has prevailed in the human domain for centuries. There are various budgeting approaches which are globally acceptable and which have various levels of efficiencies.

The core budgeting approaches or formats include; line item budgeting, PPBS budgeting, program budgeting, zero-based budgeting, performance based budgeting, priority based budgeting, program assessment rating tool and flexible freeze.

The GFOA criteria of budget evaluation have been acknowledged for offering guidelines in assessment of budgets. Through establishment and adoption of budgets, public and private organizations have been able to enjoy high levels of accountability, efficacy and efficiency.

The King Faisal Specialist Hospital is a leading public organisation in Saudi Arabia which has been acknowledged for leadership in provision of health services. The hospital which is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has a bed capacity of 850 and is endowed with over 8,500 employees.

The reputation of the hospital has taken the global platform based on the hospitals high regard on medical research and advancement (Al-Munif, 1988). In realization of its objectives and goals, the hospital has adequately embraced the concept of budgeting. This has been evident in all its activities and units of operations.

The core aspects of budgeting have been demonstrated in human resource department, patient services, research and development as well as procurement. Through budgeting, the hospital has been able to ensure high levels of efficacy, accountability and efficiency (Al-Malik and Al-Takhassusi, 2005).

This has been reflected in rapid development in the hospital, quality health care services, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction.

In case of the King Faisal specialist hospital, site-based budgeting has been adopted. This budgeting approach has played a vital role in helping the organization to meet its objectives and mission of offering quality medical services. As indicated by Groves Et al (2003), site-based budgeting offers staff and local managers the opportunity to participate in budget preparation process.

This approach to budgeting integrates the requirements of each department or unit of the organization into the overall budget. As observed in King Faisal specialist hospital, site-based budgeting has been adopted. This form of budgeting has been able to bring together the individual needs of each department or aspect of the organization.

In particular, the site-based budget approach adopted in the hospital has taken into consideration the average number of employees, average number of beds, cost of beds, cost per inpatient days, and average number of outpatient visits among other costs. This has helped the hospital to forecast on the total expenses as well as the expected revenues thus helping in planning (Groves Et al, 2003).

In light with the GFOA criteria, it is explicit that King Faisal Specialist Hospital’s budget is of high quality. The site-based budget approach has enabled the hospital to efficiently identify all needs of the organisation. The core elements of the organisation which include the patients, employees and developmental projects have been adequately addressed in the budget.

The budget by the hospital has keenly focused on the inpatient and outpatient needs as well as employee welfare (Al-Munif, 1988). Focus on these aspects has enabled the hospital to meet its goals and attain maximum satisfaction on all stakeholders.

By keeping in mind the average costs of inpatients, employees, outpatients and beds per year, the budget has been able to address all needs of the stakeholders and constituents (Groves Et al, 2003).

Conclusion

In summation, the discussion and analysis of the issue of public budgeting has offered very insightful ideas. The various approaches to budgeting have been identified. The focus on King Faisal Specialist Hospital has clearly outlined the need for budgeting. As noted in the discussion, the hospital has adopted site-based budgeting.

This approach or format of budgeting has helped the hospital to incorporate the needs of all stakeholders. It is worth noting that the budget by the hospital has met the GFOA criteria by putting the needs of all stakeholders in mind.

References

Al-Malik, M. And Al-Takhassusi, F. (2005). The King Faisal Specialist Hospital. London: McGraw Hill.

Al-Munif, A. (1988). Strategic and Operational Planning Experience of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH & RC): It’s Significance to other Health Institutions. Web.

Groves, S. Et al. (2003). Evaluating Financial Condition: A Handbook for Local Government. New York: Prentice Hall.

Sustainability

The main sources of funds for the sustainability of the project are donations, grants, and gifts provided by interested organizations and citizens. At first, the organization applied to be an official registered charity to be able to legally receive these forms of funding. Subsequently, various health-oriented foundations were approached for grants and possible partnerships to ensure the project’s sustainability.

Such organizations include the National Charities Partnership and Outreach Program, Crime Prevention Action Fund, Canadian Red Cross, AMREF Canada, and others who may find the services of our project relevant to their goals. Another form of sustainable funding for our project is donations. While the organization will be accepting donations throughout its operation, additional actions will be taken to attract more funding.

They may include donation drives, promotion on radio, television, and websites, as well as possible events dedicated to gathering donations. These events would need to be modestly funded, but through the promotion and positive image of our organization, we should be able to gain the attention required to attract donations for the awareness project. The main goal of the company is substance abuse prevention, and it is focused on providing help for people who may be able to provide donations and gifts as gratitude for the organization’s efforts.

This sustainability plan is commonly used by charities, and we believe that it would be effective for our goals. In the event of unforeseen circumstances or catastrophe that would affect the sustainability of the organization, we are prepared to invest time and money to continue our efforts in difficult situations that are likely to occur during such events. Otherwise, the sustainability plan is created to ensure funding throughout the project’s activity period.

Budget

The budget of the project is estimated to be CAD $100,000. Our organization would like to request CAD $50,000 from the Health Canada CIF to offset part of the total budget. The remaining sum is already confirmed to be granted by such organizations as Canadian Red Cross, World Health Organization, and ARMREF Canada. Specific information on the amounts provided by these organizations may be seen in the following table.

No other sources of funding have been received so far, but donations and gifts are currently considered to be a secondary form of funding for the organization. Our organization has not received funding from Health Canada, nor from the Public Health Agency of Canada or any federal departments. No funds are owed to the federal government either. The planned distribution of the budget can be seen in the table below.