The correct statement is:
Traditional budgeting starts with last year's funding appropriation.
Traditional budgeting typically uses the previous year's budget as a starting point and then makes adjustments based on changes in circumstances or goals for the upcoming year. This process assumes that the previous year's spending was appropriate and does not necessarily consider all alternatives to current operations.
Zero-based budgeting, on the other hand, requires that all activities and expenses start from a zero base and must be justified for inclusion in the budget. This approach aims to reduce inefficiencies and identify unnecessary expenses by examining each line item and evaluating its necessity and value to the organization. Zero-based budgeting does not produce a single level of appropriation but rather evaluates each activity and expense individually to determine its priority and level of funding.
In summary, traditional budgeting is more focused on incremental changes and building upon the previous year's budget, while zero-based budgeting requires a more thorough examination of expenses and a justification for each line item in the budget.