The Price of Government: Getting the Results We Need in an Age of Permanent Fiscal Crisis

by David Osborne, Peter Hutchinson

Overview

Government is broke. The 2004 federal deficit is the highest in U.S. history. The states have suffered three years of record shortfalls. Cities, counties, and school districts are laying off policemen and teachers, closing schools, and cutting services. But the fiscal pain won't go away, and the bankrupt ideologies of left and right offer little guidance.The Price of Government presents a radically different approach to budgeting -- one that focuses on buying results for citizens rather than cutting or adding to last year's spending programs. It advocates consolidation, competition, customer choice, and a relentless focus on results to save millions while improving public services.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786736973
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	04/29/2009
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

David Osborne, author of Laboratories of Democracy, is a frequent contributor to the Washington Post, Governing, and other publications. He is also a consultant to state and local governments.

Peter Hutchinson is founder and President of The Public Strategies Group. He previously served as Commissioner of Finance in Minnesota, where he introduced several innovations in state budgeting and fiscal management. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
	Preface	xii
	Introduction	1
Part 1	Smarter Budgeting: The Five Decisions That Matter Most
1.	Getting a Grip on the Problem	23
2.	Setting the Price of Government	41
3.	Setting the Priorities of Government: Buying Results That Citizens Value (at the Price They Are Willing to Pay)	62
Part 2	Smarter Sizing: It Does Matter
4.	Strategic Reviews: Divesting to Invest	97
5.	Consolidation: Smart Mergers	112
6.	Rightsizing: The Right Work, the Right Way, with the Right Staff	132
Part 3	Smarter Spending: Buying Value, Squeezing Costs
7.	Buying Services Competitively	149
8.	Rewarding Performance, Not Good Intentions	163
9.	Smarter Customer Service: Putting Customers in the Driver's Seat	191
10.	Don't Buy Mistrust--Eliminate It	210
Part 4	Smarter Management: Reforming How Government Works on the Inside to Improve Its Performance on the Outside
11.	Using Flexibility to Get Accountability	227
12.	Make Administrative Systems Allies, Not Enemies	245
13.	Smarter Work Processes: Tools from Industry	272
Part 5	Smarter Leadership: Managing Change from the Radical Center
14.	Leadership for a Change	307
15.	Politics: Truth, Lies, and the Campaign for Public Support	326
	Notes	337
	Index	361

Editorial Reviews

"A how-to manual for a local or state government that wants to redesign its budget to emphasize and maximize results."

From the Publisher