consumer-affairs

One of journalists’ most important jobs is to scrutinize decisions made by governing bodies such as a state legislature, county council or school board. One facet of local government that journalists should pay particular attention to is how government leaders use and respond to economic impact studies — analyses that attempt to measure the impact a project such as a new tourist attraction or highway would have on economic activity in a given area.

So the city you cover is considering raising property taxes and your editor wants a story today. If you’re like many journalists, you didn’t get a lot of training in college on municipal budgets. Where do you begin? We’re here to give you some pointers.

Writing about property taxes, a main revenue source for local government, can be complicated. But we can get started by asking these three questions:

Decades ago, if someone had trouble affording a medical procedure or paying a child’s hospital bill, friends and community members sometimes organized bake sales, car washes or other fundraisers to help out.

A new study offers insights on how states can assist mobile home residents facing eviction, but notes that even helpful policies can have unintended consequences.

Health experts and government agencies have flagged the potential dangers of dietary supplements, some of which promise energy, weight loss, increased muscle mass or improved sexual performance. Although such products often are promoted as “herbal” or “natural,” they can contain synthetic ingredients and toxic chemicals not listed on their labels.