Consider a fictional town proposing more spending on public spaces. The announcement sounds straightforward, but readers need context before judging what changes. Start with the first question: is this a draft, an amended proposal, or an adopted budget?
The second question is what the comparison measures. An increase from last year’s original plan may look different from an increase over actual spending. The third question is where the money would come from and whether that source is expected to continue.
The fourth question concerns trade-offs. Look for other spending that would rise, fall, or move between categories. A large headline figure may include several years of work, so the timeframe matters as much as the total.
The fifth question is what residents would experience and when. Separate a funding proposal from a project that is ready to begin. This sample uses an invented town scenario and provides no actual budget figures; it demonstrates the questions our reporting would pursue.
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