Operating Budget
Scenario for Assignments 1-5
For Assignments 1-5, you will take on the role of a budget analyst for a local government agency. The first role of the budget analyst is to become familiar with the agency, the budget, programs, and capital projects. Select any local (city) government (e.g., Oklahoma City). To locate your agency’s budget, you can either conduct a Google search on the word “Oklahoma City Financial Plan” or you can locate the information on the local government’s Website. As a budget analyst, you will be responsible for analyzing, examining, proposing, and preparing the agency’s budget for the next five (5) years.
Write a four to five (4-5) page paper, titled Part I: The Operating Budget for the (Selected Agency) in which you separate the content into sections:
1. Provide background information about the agency, mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan. (Title this section Introduction.)
2. Describe the budget of the agency by addressing the following items: (Title this section Budget Overview.)
a. Financial Summary, including Revenue and Expenditures
b. Department Budgets
c. Funding
d. Capital Projects
e. Debt Administration
3. Perform a Cost Analysis. (Title this section Cost Analysis.) The costs should include the following:
a. Fixed Costs
b. Step-fixed Costs
c. Variable Costs
4. Identify and explain one to two (1-2) challenges you will have in managing the budget. (Title this section Budget Challenges.)
5. Recommend two to three (2-3) strategies the agency should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over the next five (5) years. (Title this section Budget Recommendations.)
6. Include the agency’s most recent budget or financial plan.
7. Provide the agency’s Website name, URL, and any other sources used to support the assignment’s criteria.