Introduction

        Cities are the custodians of public health, welfare and education. They collect our trash, regulate our traffic, tell us where we may and may not park; they build and maintain our streets, schools and bridges. Reporters regularly check our caretakers to see what they are doing and how well they are doing it.
        A central indicator of the city's priorities is the budget, which establishes the ways the city collects and spends taxes and fees. Budgets are made in an arena in which competing interests vie for favor. Journalists cover the entire process, not just the final stage of budget adoption.

        In this chapter, you will find the following. Please click on the left menu to begin.

Introduction
Check It (1): Appointees
Check it (2): Property Assessments
Exercises
        A. Budget Talk
        B. School Board
        C. Proposed
Assignments
        A. Constituencies
        B. Bonds
        C. Schools
        D. Record Keeping
        E. Business
        F. Data
        G. Process
        H. Records
        I. Assessments
        J. Licensing
        K. Assistance
        L. Vigilant
        M. Education
        N. Haters
        O. Zoning
        P. Land Use
        Q. Developers
        R. Shoppers
        S. Housing
        T. Inspection
        U. Continents
        V. City-Suburb
        W. Garbage
        X. Compare
        Y. Vouchers
        Z. Landmarks
Campus Projects
        A. Right-Left
        B. Grade Inflation
Community Projects
        A. Status
        B. Liquor Stores
        C. Scores
Home Assignment
        Activities
Class Discussion
        A. Financing the Schools
        B. Scores
        C. Comparison
Search
        A. Vouchers
        B. Death Rates
        C. Purges
        D. Drinking Deaths