Newark, NJ
Program Concentration
This section of my portfolio includes a sample of work products from the courses that I took for the Budgeting & Financial Management concentration within the MPA program. I pursued this concentration because I have a professional goal of someday becoming a chief administrative officer in a city or town, which will require significant financial management skills. This work on this page is intended to illustrate some of the public financial management knowledge that I have developed through my MPA coursework.
Preparing a Politically Neutral Analysis of a Capital Project
This paper presents a hypothetical scenario in which I am a Deputy Town Manager charged with preparing a politically neutral analysis of a whether to fund a capital project through property taxes or special assessment charges. The first part of the paper discusses the various steps that I would take to analyze this project and make a recommendation without taking any kind of political stance one way or the other. The second part analyzes how taxpayers may respond to both the property tax and special assessment financing options and provides recommendations for managing this response.
This paper is a revised version of an assignment completed for Capital Budgeting & Debt Management in the Summer, 2019 semester.
The Use of Accrual Accounting During a Crisis
This paper makes the case for importance of using accrual accounting in public organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper starts with a discussion of why accrual accounting is considered a best practice and should always be used by public organizations, including during times of crisis. An explanation of why accrual accounting is especially important during a crisis when expenses are outpacing revenues follows. Finally, the paper concludes by discussing the potential long-term consequences of cash accounting for public organizations.
This paper is a revised version of an assignment created for Public Financial Management in the Summer, 2020 semester.
Techniques for Developing User-Friendly Capital Budgets
Capital budgeting is a complex process that typically relies on levying taxes or securing debt, both of which require public approval. This paper details techniques that governments can use to develop capital budgets that are easy for members of the public to understand, which can help bolster public support. Three techniques are discussed: establishment of clear, written capital policies and definitions; development of a capital improvement plan that is multi-year and integrated; and, development a public communications strategy in conjunction with the capital budget.
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This paper is a revised version of an assignment completed for Capital Budgeting & Debt Management in the Summer, 2019 semester.
Conducting a Financial Ethics Investigation in a Non-Profit Organization
This paper presents a hypothetical scenario in which I am the Chief Financial Officer of a non-profit organization investigating a financial ethics violation and preparing a report for the Chief Executive Officer. The paper discusses three key steps that should be followed in this situation: a review of the organization’s financial statements, a review of the organization’s internal controls and ethics policies, and a presentation of recommendations to the CEO. The ultimate conclusion of the paper is that a full investigation into the violation should be conducted by organization’s board of directors, which holds fiduciary responsibility for the organization.
This paper is a revised version of an assignment completed for Public Financial Management in the Summer, 2020 semester.