Trends and developments in budgeting and financial management in medium sized cities of the United States

Declining intergovernmental revenues and other resource constraints have created an environment of retrenchment for medium-sized cities. The resulting fiscal stress has led to increased emphasis on efficiency, accountability, and performance/productivity. Cutbacks in expenditures have been accompanied by innovative financing techniques, privatization of services, and increased attention to capital budgeting. While there has been a leveling-off and decrease in the use of some budgeting/management tools, the degree of professionalism remains high.