Priority-Based Budgeting Talk with Maxwell Alumnus, Stuart Schillinger G’86

Join Maxwell alumnus, Stuart Schillinger G’86, to learn about priority-based budgeting, how to bring an entrepreneurial spirit to government work, and to hear real-world stories of cities making financial investments in the programs that are most important to the communities it serves.

Stuart Schillinger earned a master of public administration with an emphasis in state and local finance from the Maxwell School in 1986. Following graduation, he began his career as an intern in Glendale, Arizona, progressing through roles as a management analyst in Encinitas, California; budget manager in Reno, Nevada; and concluding 20 years in Brisbane, California, where he served as finance director and assistant city manager. He also held the position of interim city manager in Half Moon Bay, California.

Throughout his career, Stuart’s primary focus has been on budget development. In Reno, he collaborated with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) on a benchmarking project, and in Brisbane, led one of the earliest implementations of Priority Based Budgeting, which was highlighted in GFOA and ICMA publications.

After transitioning from government, he joined GovInvest, a firm that helps cities manage pension obligations, labor costing and compensation benchmarking. He also works with ResourceX, which pioneered Priority Based Budgeting, helping communities shift from line-item budgets to strategic, program-based financial planning. This approach has supported cities in tackling budget deficits and funding key initiatives such as climate action plans and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.