The Capital Budget Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Capital Budget - Research Paper Example Furthermore, better compensation increases the employee morale, generally, given that the increase is awarded in an equitable manner. In other words, employee morale is boosted if the increase in compensation is awarded in respect to the level of productivity of individual employees rather than granting a blanket increment Figure 1: Projected increase in Revenue to to increase in compensation Trend Analysis As shown in figure 2, annual expenditure has been greater than revenues for the past several years until 2002 when an opposite trend was observed. Generally, the expenditure has been declining since 2008. This rate of decline has been most drastic from 2011, but the management seems to be effectively controlling the operating expenses because the gap between revenues and expenditure seems to be closing up. It is very important for the management to ensure that as the cost declines, good measures should be put to ensure that the contribution margin does not decline as well (City of Cincinnati Ohio, 2012). 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Expenditure 365,000,000 356,000,000 356,000,000 354,000,000 334,000,000 Revenue 357,500,000 338,500,000 337,000,000 337,000,000 337,000,000 Table 1: Expenditure trend Figure 2: Expenditure Trend Expenditure Forecast The health expenditure, which finances the services by the city’s health clinics to those patients that are qualifying has been declining since 2010 and it is expected to maintain a slight decline to 2017. This cost should be approached because, although it consumes a substantial proportion of the council’s budget, health services are very fundamental and furthermore the decline shows that the council has been undertaking a cost cutting measure (City of Cincinnati Ohio, 2012). 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Health 23,574,570 19,450,210 20,128,510 19,256,458 19,126,895 19,100,568 18,458,000 18,456,123 Fire 92,832,430 98,662,160 94,358,450 93,125,145 92,125,256 92,125,365 91,125,458 90,125,456 Public servivce 22,291,010 20,015,980 19,963,240 19,256,125 18,125,456 18,125,100 17,124,896 17,100,125 police 139,110,860 146,175,220 132,888,620 135,568,456 125,456,256 120,124,562 119,136,100 118,256,362 Figure 2: Four of the highest expenditure (5 years forecast) The fire expenditure seems to be consuming a very big proportion of the council’s budget, however, this expenditure has reduced since 2010 and the forecast exhibits the same trend of reduction. Therefore, this budget will be approved. Public services have a trend very similar with health and the cost cutting measures are evident, therefore, it is likely to be approved. Finally, the police takes the highest share of the council’s budget. Given that security is very essential as it determines the success of all other activities, the high budget is justifiable. It is also evident that this figure has been on the decline since 2012 and there it is likely to be approved (Weiss & Mark, 1989). Capital Budget There are t wo methods of predicting the cost of needed repairs including qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative forecasting methods make use of judgements to predict cost. This method is most suitable when used in situations where the historical data is not available. Furthermore, availability of historical data is sometimes considered irrelevant because of significant changes that take place in the environmental conditions afflicting the pertinent time. For instance, it

Single Soldiers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Single Soldiers - Essay Example The truth is that single soldiers make up more than a third of the United States’ army (BOSS site). These soldiers are fighting machines, dedicated to god and country. Nevertheless it helps them to have support at home and not to be all alone. The Army has recognized this, creating Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS). According to its website: BOSS provides an avenue for single Soldiers to surface issues and to take part in activities but does not set policy and other guidance on issues. BOSS is intended to enhance command authority, prerogative, and responsibility in maintaining standards of conduct, good order, and discipline, not to dilute. This is an excellent first step in recognizing the problems faced by single soldiers. Drawing such people together into a cohesive unit in order to address their quality of life issues and their morale is a key development in the history of the evolution of the army. These individuals, often young, need sustenance. The Army can provide this too. There are other unique challenges faced by the single soldiers. The benefit structure the army provides is geared towards soldiers with families. This is true of other armies around the world. An excellent example was recently reported in Canada. Canada may have a much smaller standing army than the United States, but there too the problem of single soldiers has surfaced in a public and contentious manner. The families of four unmarried soldiers that were killed in Afghanistan stepped forward recently to file human-rights complaints in that country. They say that the government discriminated in favour of married troops by paying a $250,000 death benefit. According to the Canadian Press: A federal human-rights tribunal rejected the complaint of Lincoln and Laurie Dinning because Veterans Affairs abruptly decided to recognize their sons girlfriend as his common-law spouse,