Racial Equity in Public Budgeting

An Analysis of Three Pioneer Cases

Bibliographic Data

ID6456547
AuthorsJuan Pablo Martínez Guzmán (0000-0002-3457-8703, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD, USA), Meagan M Jordan (0000-0002-1574-5238, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA), Philip G Joyce (0000-0002-7558-5619, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD, USA)
Year2025
Volume55
Issue3
Pages214-226
Publication date2025-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe American Review of Public Administration (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0275-0740 • E-ISSN: 1552-3357
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/02750740251332944
OpenAlexW4409665589
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited27

Over the past decade, pressure has mounted for governments to address the effects of racial disparities and systemic racism. Some governments have implemented racial equity reforms that build on the public budgeting cycle as a system that can help filter new interventions and push for redesigning existing ones. This paper presents in-depth case studies of three local governments that are pioneers in advancing racial equity through public budgeting systems: the City of Austin, TX, the City of Baltimore, MD, and King County, WA. Our findings show that these governments have advanced practices that integrate equity considerations into budgeting decisions, particularly through the use of equity assessments and the development of participatory processes. Significant challenges remain not just to improve what has been done but to ensure that these practices do not decay, as some cases are already failing to maintain levels of transparency and to ensure ongoing practices

Economics · Equity (law · Participatory budgeting · Political science · Politics · Public economics · Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth · Law · Local Government Finance and Decentralization · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research · Accounting

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