City on the Line: How Baltimore Transformed Its Budget to Beat the Great Recession and Deliver Outcomes

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 hasnt changed in hundreds of years. Parts memoir, manifesto, and manual, this book tells the story of Baltimores radical departure from traditional line item budgeting to a focus on outcomes like better schools, safer streets, and stronger neighborhoodsduring one of the most tumultuous decades in the citys history. Elected officials, executives, and citizens alike will be equipped to transform budgets in their city, state, or any other mission-driven organization.