Budgeting by Fact

Look at these two items, both provided by the District:

 
For the average citizen, these two things seem contradictory - in the world of government, the first statement may be considered factual, but it doesn't pass the "common-sense" test.  I guess it all depends on how you put your budgets together...and why I support a "zero baseline" approach - real dollar amounts, reasonably accurate enrollment counts and an honest, frank discussion of spending increases and reductions.