About the Data

Government agencies release a lot of statistical information about local finances, much of which is on the Internet, but most of it is hard to understand.

The goal of this site is to gather as much public information available and allow users to make their own decisions when it comes to interpreting the statistics and data. Some of the material on this site is pure raw numbers. Others are based on the analysis of the reporters at the Gazette.

So where does it all come from? Here's a run-down on the main sources:

The state's Governor's Center for Local Government Services publishes extensive data for each municipality, including tax information, spending and a complete list of elected officials in the county.

Data on school spending was obtained from the Department of Education, which maintains a collection of school statistics.

The crime statistics and staffing for each department was found on the Pennsylvania State Police's Uniform Crime Reporting System.

The campaign contribution information was found using Pennsylvania's Campaign Finance Reporting Page, and at the Federal Election Commission Home Page.

If you have any questions or comments about this page, contact us by clicking here.