Many believe the work should be financed by the 'public purse'. [=should be paid for by the government]
Companies are expected to 'loosen the purse strings' as the economy improves.
School administrators are already 'tightening (the) purse strings'.
(..) Yeah. He made you Chief of Police, so... I've gained pounds. - It must be the uniform. - It's the dangers of a desk job. I'd like to report a lost purse. Why don't you have a seat? - I'm living with this every day. - What about your marriage? - What marriage? - You just don't give up! (..)2009 The Lovely Bones