Public Sector Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Public Sector Budgeting - Essay Example In this respect, the conventional debate that rages on regard the amount of control measures that should be allowed in the execution of the budget amid the need to ensure accountability The challenge arises in the manner various agencies feel that they should be given the flexibility to operate effectively in the present dynamic world. However, Congress on the other hand, feels that giving much flexibility would be tantamount to the failure to perform its constitutional prerogative of implementing the rules that govern the budget process. It is felt that the smooth realization of certain objectives require a given amount of flexibility that is often disregarded by the public and policy implementers. Inasmuch as public funds should be safeguarded, it is imperative to realize that certain programs must always be undertaken with a given amount of flexibility contrary to which they are bound to fail. For instance in the department of defense (DOD), certain radical decisions have to be ma de in times of urgent need. In such a case, too many regulations might prove to be quite disastrous in the event challenges are realized in the process. Often, agencies are forced to utilize the full allocation they receive without the need to save any funds for future use. This normally arises out of the imminent fact that in the event of returning unused funds, they receive less in future allocations and are even scolded for asking for more if they could manage with less. One of the most challenging issues under budget execution is normally on the aspect of authorization (McCaffery & Mutty 2003). Indeed, before the disbursement of any funds, proper authorization must be done in order to ensure the funds are used appropriately. However, it is normally challenge given that the authorization stage normally involves s lot of bureaucracy and red tape. The manner some of the programs take a lot of time to get authorized clearly serve to demonstrate the very challenges created by too muc h regulations at the expense of the need for timely undertakings. In most instances, the execution process kicks off with the authorization from the Congress, before other subsequent steps follow. Therefore the timely execution of projects in the economy depends much on the speed of Congress in its deliberations (McCaffery & Mutty 2003). However, it rarely happens that Congress does the authorization on time. Being the initial stage of the process, delayed authorization finally translates into the lateness of all the subsequent stages so that execution of the program is delayed a great deal. The authorization of contingent programs normally creates much inefficiency to the execution of other projects in operation. In that regard, it becomes important to rectify some of the regulations that create the sense of commotion. In the same way the authorization should be done in a timely manner that enhances the fast execution of the projects. It is disheartening to seen the manner in which most government programs seem to stall out of the fact that their allocation has not yet been ratified by the authorities in order allow the disbursement of the funds. In a world of challenges and new realities, congressional managers must be faced to encounter the very limiting issues that normally characterize the implementation process (1999). However the rules,