The end of the year is a period filled with political decisions. This is when the distribution of public funds is debated—or imposed—through the budget law. This law synthesizes who will benefit and who will be disadvantaged in the allocation of state resources for the upcoming year. Such distribution is influenced by the ability of different actors to assert their interests over others, making clear the ideological positioning of the current government by reflecting which areas will be economically prioritized.
For this reason, we will analyze the 2018 budget bill for the Province of Mendoza. We will compare it with spending execution from 2013 to 2017. First, we will examine the evolution of expenditures by jurisdiction and purpose. Then, we will focus on the amounts invested in education. Additionally, we will delve into the funds allocated to personnel, current goods and services, capital expenditures, and transfers to the private sector, as well as the amount spent per student and the investment in infrastructure per educational institution.
By analyzing all this information, we aim to reveal the budgetary priority that education holds for the provincial government.