Question: How do cities balance wants and needs?

Sources: Sources may include explanatory text; newspaper article of stakeholder explaining decision-making on a budget question; development of source cards with explanation (see KLC materials); pie chart graphic of budget — must be appropriate to grade-level

Task: Compare budgets

Vocabulary: budget, expenditures, revenue, percentage, utilities, public, police, local, firefighter

EXPLANATION: The purpose of this lesson is to explain how local governments decide how to spend revenue, based on their budget and mandated expenditures.