The paper should be written as if you were briefing a new budget director for this government. The new director is moving here from another part of the country, and knows very little about the area or the budget issues. This section should first include a brief overview of the state or locality, including factors/trends that may affect the budget (e.g., location, population, income levels, primary types of employment, etc.). This section should also address the budget process and the format of the budget.
The primary source of data will be the budget of the government that you are analyzing. You may be able to get copies of these from the government. Many governments now also have budget documents posted on their Web site. You may also want to review Census data for socio-demographic information about the area. Finally, you might search newspaper indexes to find information on major recent budget issues.
If you work with one or two partners, you may divide the project up in a number of different ways. Generally, all of you will receive the same grade for the project. However, it is possible that grades will vary if one member has not performed adequately, or if one student’s performance is exemplary.
There is no “cookie-cutter” approach to this project. Each government is different, so the focus of the analyses will vary somewhat. The following sections are intended to provide guidelines for you to consider, but your paper may be quite different from this. You are expected to organize the report in the manner best suited to the entity you are studying.