Discussion 4

Readings & Videos for Disussion #4

Module 5: Public Finance and Budgeting

"It's not about the money money money.  We don't need your money money money.  We just wanna make the world dance.  Forget about the price tag." Jessie J - Price Tag

No. We cannot forget about the price tag! Indeed, implementing policies costs a lot!

Welcome to Module 5: Public Finance and Budgeting. We will follow the governments' money this week. This overview page provides a step-by-step guide on how to successfully finish this module. 

1. Review the following module objectives. Use it as a tool to guide your learning experience. 2. Read the lecture note .  3. Read all the required materials and watch the videos indicated in the lecture note.  4. Finish Discussion 4. (One original post and two response posts). It is required to make your original post earlier this week by Thursday 11:59 pm. 5. Finish Assignment 2 - Flu Vaccine Case Study. It's due by Sunday, 11:59pm.  6. Start working on Assignment 3 - Personal Statement for A Public Service Position.

Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Explain the importance of public finance and budget in a theoretical manner 

2. Describe the major tax structures in federal, state, and local governments.

3. Describe the major expenditure functions in federal, state, and local governments.

4. Define the budgeting process and budget

5. Explain the major U.S. fiscal challenges

Readings and Videos

Required Materials: 

1. Lecture Note (Review First!) 

Minimize File Preview

2. Book Chapter: Tax Policy Center. (2020). Chapter 2 Federal Budget in Tax Policy Center Briefing Book

3. Book Chapter: Tax Policy Center. (2020) Chapter 5 The State of State (and Local) Tax Policy in Tax Policy Center Briefing Book

4. Journal Article: Chapman, J. I. (2008). State and local fiscal sustainability: The challenges . Public Administration Review, 68(SUPPL. 1), S115–S131.

5. Video: Casual Historian. (2018). The U.S. National Debt Explained (Links to an external site.)

6. Video: U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro testified before the Senate Budget Committee on the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) annual report on the nation’s fiscal health. (Links to an external site.) The video is related to a GAO report: GAO. (2020). The Nation’s Fiscal Health

Recommended Materials: 

· If you want to get a detailed overview of the whole system of U.S. public finance, you are recommended to scan and search the whole Tax Policy Center Briefing Book (Links to an external site.)

· A guide on the federal budgeting process (Links to an external site.) .

· A guide on the Miami-Dade budgeting process (Links to an external site.) .

· The Miami-Dade County 2019 Budget (Links to an external site.)

Activities

· Finish Discussion 4: U.S. Fiscal Challenges

·

· It is required to make one original post and two response posts. You will not see any other students' posts until you have created your original post. 

· It is required to make your original post earlier this week by Thursday so that your classmates can have time to respond. As one of the rubric criteria, the more responses your original post generates, the higher the grade you will earn.

· Finish Assignment 2 - Flu Vaccine Case Study. It's due by Sunday, 11:59pm. 

· Start working on Assignment 3 - Personal Statement for A Public Service Position