An up-to-date, comprehensive, and detailed how-to manual for planning and financing successful capital projects, written by a nationally known and award-winning expert on capital budgeting, A. John Vogt. Clearly explains capital budgeting approaches and methods, especially for local jurisdictions under 200,000 in population. Indispensable to managers, assistant managers, finance and budget officials, planning directors, public works administrators, and elected officials for choosing wisely among various approaches, using capital budgeting tools, and analyzing trade-offs during the process. Gathers together and clearly presents the accepted and successful policies, practices, and procedures from across the country and describes in detail every step¿from selecting projects, to planning how to pay for them, to structuring and selling debt. Provides an abundance of local government documents, working papers, charts, checklists, and examples from successful jurisdictions. Approach and recommendations consistent with the National Advisory Council on State and Local Government Budgeting, emphasizing goal setting and planning. Tips on prioritizing projects, winning political support for projects, and selling debt successfully. A book for every manager¿s bookshelf.

Too often capital improvement programming is ignored or dismissed as superfluous. But it is an integral part of the functioning of the economy. Without it, all services would eventually decay until they were no longer useful. Bowyer argues that capital improvement programs (CIPs) are an important part of the planning process and should be a part of the budgeting system rather than merely advisory. He uses the experiences of his many years of planning in cities of varying sizes to illustrate the links between budgeting and planning. His tips show planners how they can succeed in implementing their CIP. Bowyer peppers his examples with personal anecdotes, making a subject that could be dry very interesting.