
Reading the budget in the order the city does
Income first, then spending, then the small print. A plain order for reading any budget without getting lost.

October 10, 2026 · 12 min
The two big streams of money into a city: a share sent from the national government and what the city collects itself.
A short letter every Sunday: one part of the budget explained, with real-looking numbers and no side taken.

Income first, then spending, then the small print. A plain order for reading any budget without getting lost.

The fee a trader pays, the bin lorry that comes and the line in between. Builds on “Where market fees go once you have paid them”.