City on the Line

Book excerpt: In City on the Line, former Baltimore budget director Andrew Kleine asks why the way government does its most important job – deciding how to spend taxpayer dollars – hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. Parts memoir, manifesto, and manual, this book tells the story of Baltimore’s radical departure from traditional line item budgeting to a focus on outcomes like better schools, safer streets, and stronger neighborhoods—during one of the most tumultuous decades in the city’s history. Elected officials, executives, and citizens alike will be equipped to transform budgets in their city, state, or any other mission-driven organization.