Hats off to MICHAEL MANSUR and RICK MONTGOMERY of The Kansas City Star for taking on a tough -- and often controversial challenge -- of trying to measure the quality of services provided by city government.  The discipline/methodology underlying "Our Tax Dollars at Work" is broadly called "performance measurement" in government, "forensic accounting" in the business world.  What we see as a sub-set, or, perhaps, a sibling, methodology was employed for this study, "Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)." 

Mansur and Montgomery are on the right track with these stories, but unfortunately, the online presentation falls short.  For example, ofttimes (well, typically) rankings are displayed, but in no obvious order, neither alphabetical by city nor rank order of scores.  Furthermore, the pages don't supply any information that tells the reader if a low score is desireable or a high one.  This is a case where good infographics and/or visual statistics could make for a much better telling of the tale.

That said, keep on keepin' on, gents.  It's this type of work that, in the long run, will help citizens conclude that good journalism is crucial to the democratic process.

From the Kansas City Star....
Our tax dollars at work: Who's doing the best job?
We find hidden facts, and some surprises, on who’s giving you the most for your money.

By MICHAEL MANSUR and RICK MONTGOMERY, The Kansas City Star
Think about how carefully your town spends your money. Maybe you haven’t a clue. Maybe you harbor hunches. Definitely, you should know.