Budget Surplus: A Case Study
A small midwestern city has a $1 million budget surplus. Two groupsimmediately begin vying for the funds. One of the requests comesfrom downtown businesses requesting to use the money to beautifydowntown by adding brick sidewalks and planting areas with the goalof attracting customers. As city manager, you are aware that thedowntown area has not been doing as well as predicted and that thesmall businesses are necessary for the development of a “vibrantdowntown,” as stated in the city’s goals. The other request comesfrom the city’s police department wanting to begin a unit to pursue“career criminals.” You are familiar with the statistics and knowthat repeat offenders commit an overwhelming number of crimes.There is an apparent trend in police departments to address thisissue separately. The two groups are competing for limitedresources. Both causes are considered worthy of city funding, butdecisions must be made, given that $1 million will not fully fundboth requests. Both crime control and economic development are ofvital interest to your community, and both have active constituentswho will come to the city council meetings with their requests.
Respond to the following questions:
Please answer the following questions and explain. (it needs tofit a two paged memo)
1.First, diagnose what the specific problem is. Who are thestakeholders, and what roles do they play? What assumptions orattributions are you making about the problem and the circumstancesunder which it occurs?
2. Second, are there secondary problems?identify the facts and what special considerations must be takeninto account. What are the strategic factors that must be satisfiedto solve the problem.
3. Third, determine what are the options (recommendedprocedures, practices, and techniques) for dealing with or solvingthe problem.
4.Fourth, make a recommendation or decision. These decisionsneed to be provided with supporting analysis and evidence thatexplains or justifies why the decision was made.
5.Fifth, focus on the generalizable assessment of the case studyor simulation reflecting on the takeaways, lessons and insightsderived from it.
