Truth in Taxation/Budget Lessons
Prepared by: Dianne Miller (Lead) and Kevin Frazell
Lesson #1
Review a Truth in Taxation (TnT) statement to show students the various levels of government involved (County, City, State, etc.) in taxing. In conjunction with the TnT Statement, have each student review
Strategies:
Lesson #2
Review a City budget to determine how the City spends your tax dollars.
Strategies:
a. Prepare a pie chart that demonstrates the percentage of the City budget that goes to each department.
b. Identify the services that are provided by each department through a review of a City’s Web site.
Lesson #3
Review a summary of the City of
Strategies:
a. Where are the increases or decreases within the budget?
b. Do you agree with the changes? Why or Why not?
c. Do you think the elected officials were justified in their budget decisions? If so, why? If not, what not? If you think the budget increased too much, how would you suggest the jurisdiction reduce spending or raise non-tax revenues?
Lesson #4
Find an article in your local newspaper, City newsletter, City Web site, or State-wide newspaper that addresses an issue of local government spending. (e.g. Should the City build a Community Center? Should the community pass a local school referendum? Should the County reduce social services spending?)
Strategies:
Lesson #5
You are a City Council Member in
the City of
Strategies:
a. As
an elected official, how do you propose the City of
b. Would you raise taxes? Why or why not? What services will you reduce and/or how will you raise revenues?
c. As an elected official, what are some possible consequences of your budget decisions? What makes your decisions difficult?
d. What ethical responsibilities do you have as an elected official?
This site is being developed and maintained by the Urban & Regional Studies Institute (URSI) at Minnesota State University, Mankato as a service to the Minnesota City/County Management Association.
Created 2004 A.J.Filipovitch
Revised 29 December 04