budget dust

n. money said to be insignificant when compared to other (planned) expenditures. Subjects: English, Money & Finance

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Citations: 1990 Gene Pentecost @ Franklin, Tenn. USA Today (July 6) “Are you angry about the savings and loan bailout?” p. 10A: The regulators should help pay the price by going to jail, having their salaries reduced, or both. This is another burden on the taxpayer. Everybody in Washington is to blame. This isn’t just budget dust, this is big bucks. 1991 Cathy Taylor Orange County Register (California) (Mar. 12) “A lesson in budget dust and burn rate” p. D1: Budget dust. A small cash amount relative to the company’s total dollar budget. Many managers are being told to spend less, but if you want to arm wrestle, try this: “Why boss, that program accounts for just budget dust; let’s keep it in.” 1997 Rhonda L. Wickham Cellular Business (Nov. 30) “Budget Dust or Bust”: During the heat of the bidding process, a few wannabe licensees obviously felt as though their high-dollar bids for spectrum would be justified and add up to mere “budget dust” in the long-term. 2002 Rebecca Cook @ Olympia, Wash. (AP) (Dec. 29) “In state spending, hot-button items amount to mere ‘budget dust’”: It seems strange to talk about $30 million here and there as mere budget dust—as the budget writers call it. But in the state’s $23 billion budget, $30 million is a bit like the loose change you find under your sofa cushions. 2005 Lisa Mascaro @ L.A. Orange County Register (California) (June 5) “Despite budget woes, MTA board dines well”: Some of the items certainly appear to be extravagant in light of the fact that the agency has consistently run a deficit. And although the relatively small amount may, in the grand scheme of things, be no more than what we refer to as budget dust, it is both symbolic and reflective of what they bring to the table. They’re not very cost-conscious.

Posted 10 Jun 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend