Thomas Dexter Lynch

PUBLIC BUDGETING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
An international Journal

The State of Capital Budgeting In Louisiana’s Local Governments

ABSTRACT

Given the requirement that increased political and fiscal pressures have forced local governments to control spending more efficiently and reduce taxes, the issue is whether local governments have reacted to these pressures and adopted formal capital budgeting planning procedures. The research question proposed is what factors play a significant role in the decision of a government entity to adopt formal capital budgeting procedures. This research describes the current use of “proper” capital budgeting practices in one state in comparison to a national study and examines possible casual and relational facts that may influence the existence of “proper” capital budgeting practices at the level of government.

Thomas D. Lynch, PhD., was Professor, Institute of Public Administration, Louisiana State University. His teaching and research interests are in the field of public budgeting and financial management. Cynthia E. Lynch and Richard A. Omdal are graduate students, MPA Program, Institute of Public Administration, Louisiana State University.