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Do you have any resources to evaluate a city budget? I am mainly thinking of comparative city budgets, or benchmarking or guidelines, and especially interested in larger cities in the USA. Such as maybe "X of 100 largest U.S. cities spend at least Y percent of their budget on Z." Etc. I am open to suggestions. I am also interested in related matters, such as municipal bonds.
posted by NotLost at 9:34 PM - 7 answers

But actually, where is he [more inside]
posted by pando11 at 11:05 AM - 25 answers

My beloved Silver Lady is a total loss due to a complete failure of the entire system. Since the total loss is not due to an accident, our insurance company is not involved. Since this is in California, we want to make sure we don’t miss a legal requirement that could come back to bite us later. Details below the fold. [more inside]
posted by susiswimmer at 3:39 PM - 10 answers

My elderly mom received a survey which appears to be run by the US Census bureau. It says its the American Community Survey. She knows it's not a Census year and asked me for help as she thought it might be a scam. She finds the questions extremely intrusive and would rather not fill this out. Has anyone received this? Is it really compulsory or can she skip filling this out?
posted by vacapinta at 2:03 PM - 22 answers

YANML: Help me understand the BC Limitation Act in regards to overdue strata fees. [more inside]
posted by burntflowers at 11:58 AM - 3 answers

[TW] Suicide Prior tenant took their life by hanging five months ago. Property was painted and even saged in the interim. New tenant is about to sign lease. State law doesn’t require disclosure but tenant may learn about this from neighbors. Should the landlord get ahead of this by disclosing and if so how?
posted by Dragonness at 12:26 PM - 19 answers

Has any country other than Australia accidentally lost/misplaced a sitting Prime Minister/President? (This question brought to you by the disappearance of Harold Holt.)
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 11:36 PM - 11 answers

I found myself thinking about traffic stop I had in 2010 and wondering if it had to happen at all or if I had the right to leave. I'm obviously not pursuing any action now; I purely want to know what my options were, given the unprofessionalism of the officers involved. Could I have just left? You are not my lawyer. [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 7:23 PM - 9 answers

Is there a place where I can report spam calls that leave me call back numbers, via voice mail, which appear to be either U.S. domestic area codes or U.S. toll-free numbers? [more inside]
posted by thecaddy at 7:12 AM - 1 answers

In Illinois, dog owners are liable if there dog bites someone who is behaving peacefully, not harassing the dog and a legally allowed to be where they are. Homeowners who post a "Beware of Dog" sign render people who enter their property without obtaining prior permission trespassers. There are exceptions for people who routinely enter the property without prior permission such as meter readers or mail carriers. Are political canvassers an exception to the trespassing rule?
posted by grahahw at 10:07 AM - 16 answers

YANML, but I am trying to figure out whether "citations" from this private parking company are meaningful in any way, as in, are they able to collect this money from people? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 10:50 AM - 7 answers

My previous landlord has owed me money for almost two months and won't pay up. (He acknowledges he owes me money and keeps telling me the check is coming.) In Massachusetts, this can be handled in small claims court. Should I get a lawyer? What is my best course of action? (Details inside if you're interested) [more inside]
posted by rednikki at 11:48 AM - 8 answers

Say a stopped family car (A) is struck by a commercial tractor-trailer (B). It's very clearly the truck's fault, no injuries but substantial vehicle damage. Both sides are insured. Which insurance should the car driver file a claim with? Does it make a difference? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph at 10:16 AM - 19 answers

Is it difficult to handle a commercial real estate transaction in Long Island, New York? [more inside]
posted by slogger at 8:12 AM - 3 answers

The amount of repairs that my Oregon house has needed and continues to need in the almost 5 years since purchase seems insane. Only a couple issues were disclosed when I bought it and the home inspector completely missed or ignored multiple issues. Is there any point in trying to talk to a lawyer about suing the inspector and/or real estate agents and/or former owner now? [more inside]
posted by mygothlaundry at 1:08 PM - 29 answers

I swear its a question from a conversation we had, but what are people called who are notorious for making lawsuits? Not frivolously, rather it's their bread and butter. We knew a guy who would troll the internet looking for websites that were not ADA-compliant and sue them, normally with decent payouts. What other things do folks who do this sue on? [more inside]
posted by xicana63 at 9:57 AM - 13 answers

What happens after a complaint (or multiple complaints) go to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control? [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 8:16 AM - 3 answers

I am trying to rediscover a documentary I saw ten or twelve years ago that neatly outlined how Putin used conflicting disinformation to stun the populace, neutralize viable opposition and empower sycophants. [more inside]
posted by CynicalKnight at 5:10 PM - 5 answers

I was reading Mark Meadow's testimony today, and I have questions. [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 6:20 PM - 6 answers

What are my renter's rights in LA? [more inside]
posted by downtohisturtles at 10:38 PM - 11 answers