Choose a public policy
Meet a fictional council decision with a fixed budget.
A choice with limits
In fictional Pontechiaro, the council has €120,000 for one public project next year. Proposal A is three evening library openings per week for one year, estimated at €90,000. Proposal B is shade at six bus stops, estimated at €110,000. The combined estimates are €200,000, so both do not fit in the current budget. Nothing has been approved or tested. Identify the policy, estimate, and people who might benefit before you take a position.
- Il consiglio deve scegliere tra due proposte.· The council must choose between two proposals.
- Il bilancio annuale disponibile è di centoventimila euro.· The available annual budget is one hundred and twenty thousand euros.
- La biblioteca aprirebbe tre sere alla settimana.· The library would open three evenings a week.
- Sei fermate potrebbero offrire più ombra.· Six stops could offer more shade.
A preference is not a result
Describe a possible benefit without saying it has already happened. A real condition can name the next step if the council chooses a project. An imagined condition can test a different budget. Ask what evidence is missing for either proposal.
- Preferirei la biblioteca, ma servono dati sugli utenti serali.· I would prefer the library, but data on evening users is needed.
- Se scegliamo le fermate, verificheremo l’accessibilità.· If we choose the stops, we will check accessibility.
- Se avessimo più fondi, potremmo valutare entrambe le proposte.· If we had more funds, we could assess both proposals.
- Per ora nessun progetto ha prodotto risultati misurati.· For now, neither project has produced measured results.