What Does Local Government Cost?

The release of the By The Numbers report has generated news stories localized to communities based on the local data. In the High Point Enterprise, Chad Adams noted that state and federal mandates are prime culprits in higher local expenditures. “If it were not for Medicaid, the local tax burden would drop in many rural areas of the state.” In the Winston-Salem Journal, he explained that the report helps frame a dialogue he believes citizens and elected officials should be having. “The question is, ‘Are you getting the most for your money?’” In the Rocky Mount Telegram, he suggested the report could be used to compare costs in cities and towns of similar size.