Introduction to the Symposium: PBB-Works Like the BCS?

Performance-based budgeting (PBB), defined as a process for developing and incorporating measurements of the performance of government operations, services, and programs into the budget process, is intended to introduce some "rationality" into a traditionally subjective and political decision-making process. Still, PBB remains a target of naysayers. Critics allege that PBB is complicated, too data driven, and incompatible with the principles of democratic governance. These arguments against PBB echo the ongoing criticisms against the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), which matches two teams in a national collegiate football championship game while pairing other top teams in competitive contests in additional bowl games. This symposium examines PBB as it is applied in American governments, in part to address the foregoing criticisms. Obviously, PBB and the BCS are not perfect, but experience shows that these rational decision aids can succeed in their intended purposes. In a decade or two, perhaps PBB will experience a similar level of success and enthusiasm in the arena of public budgeting.