COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES FOR GOVERNMENT CAPITAL WORKS

The proportion of the national income used for all government purposes is more or less fixed through the various forces operating in our political-economic system. If one government use receives an increase in resources there must be a corresponding reduction in some other use. It often happens that a program can be devised which meets the expected needs but there are insufficient resources to proceed at the rate proposed. The government then has the problem of allocating the available resources between all competing programs so as to obtain the best mix of schools, sewers, roads, harbors, etc. Planning to please the people has a number of complications including people's limited understanding, social and economic discontinuities, differing views of the value of prestige projects and the human weakness of always starting too many projects at a time. (Author/TRRL)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Workshop on the Economics of Road Design Standards, Canberra, 18-20 May 1980 Papers.
• Corporate Authors:

  Bureau of Transport Economics, Australia

  Allara Street
  Canberra City, A.C.T. 2601,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Webster, R G
• Publication Date: 1980-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 7 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Budgeting; Competition; Conferences; Cost allocation; Federal assistance programs; Federal government; Financing; Highways; Politics; Socioeconomic factors; Workshops
• Uncontrolled Terms: Federal programs
• Old TRIS Terms: Allocations
• ITRD Terms: 257: Budget; 8525: Conference; 244: Financing; 183: Government (national); 2755: Highway
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Highways; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00329600
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: May 21 1981 12:00AM