The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "budget cuts" ...
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Pauper Parks
This investigation showed how, even though the Bush administration claims an increase in national park funding, many parks are actually seeing budget cuts. The reason for this discrepancy is that, while most of the parks are receiving less money, about one quarter of all national parks are receiving extra funds to protect against terrorist attacks. Those parks are "national icon" parks like the Statue of Liberty and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
Tags: national parks; nature; icons; terrorism; homeland security; conservation
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High Cost of City Hall
Excessive spending and lavish furnishings for San Jose's new city hall inspired this San Jose Mercury News investigation. City officials planned to equip the new building with 45 million dollars worth of furniture, plasma televisions, and the most costly technology. At the same time, the city was undergoing a series of budget deficits, layoffs, and service cuts to residents over the years. According to the questionnaire, "city officials privately consulted with Cisco about what technology it ought to deploy in the new building and then designed an $8 million computer-and-telephone network using only the company's equipment."
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Navy Proposes Shipbuilding Cuts, Plans to Appeal to Bush for Reforms (Inside the Navy); Collins Warns Navy Not to 'Squander' Shipbuilding Budget Progress (Inside the Navy); Warner Concerned About Possible Carrier Delay (InsideDefense.com); Pentagon Further Curtails Navy Shipbuilding Budget (InsideDefense.com)
Castelli's investigative series feature in Inside the Navy and InsideDefense.com exposes proposed shipbuilding cuts in the Navy's fiscal year 2006 budget. The series sheds light on how the cuts will affect the Navy, as well as major U.S. shipyards. "With so much at stake, this series of articles gave decision-makers on Capitol Hill the maximum time available to consider policy questions about shipbuilding that could affect national security, the industrial base, politics and state and local economies."
Tags: Pentagon; Navy Department; Gordon England; Donald Rumsfeld; President Bush; General Dynamics; Northop Grumman
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Mass. defense industry under attack
This three part series investigates the effect of defense spending cuts on Massachusetts. The state has a multibillion-dollar defense industry, and if cuts continue, the economy in Massachusetts may be in jeopardy. Armstrong examines the trends of unemployment in the defense industry, and what would happen if defence industry workers left the region to find new jobs.
Tags: Massachusetts Defense Department; Defense Budget Project; Massachusetts Department of Employment and Training; defense industry; Massachusetts Miracle
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Harlandale Travels
The Harlandale School District's board lowered school field trips to one per grade to try and cut the budget in 2003. But the board did not cut its own travel, and therefore no money was saved. In fact, the wealthiest district in Bexar County, Alamo Heights, spent less money on travel than Harlandale. Torres examines what this means for the 2004 and 2005 budget.
Tags: Harlandale; school; field trip; school budget; FastForward; OASIS
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"Too Easy to Cheat"
This investigative story focuses on fish and shellfish in the Chesapeake Bay, where both species are declining due to growing demand and lack of law enforcement. The article explains how cuts in law enforcement have caused the Virginia Marine Patrol to have a small staff, low budget, and lower penalties for fishing violations.
Tags: FOIA; law enforcement
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Tough Times, Tough Choices
These series of articles looked at the nation's financial crisis and explored the affects that it has on the average American. The authors wrote about raising taxes, cutting spending, early release programs and how education could suffer. AP's national presence made it possible for the investigation to cover every state and be relevant to every American,
Tags: budget; taxes; governors; financial crisis
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"Teen Tobacco Law"
KOMU-TV investigates Missouri's Youth Access Law, which aims to stop smoking among minors. It makes it illegal for teens to purchase and posses tobacco products. The consequences of teens getting caught is a court summons and fine. This threat has not stopped teens from smoking. This past year budget cuts have left Mid-Missouri with three agents in the Division of Tobacco and Alcohol Control. Minimal staff has contributed to less teens being caught for smoking. The investigation found that it's difficult for a full staff to catch teens from smoking, and now that there's fewer staff, the law is for the most part, ineffective.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; Missouri Youth Access Law; smoking; tobacco products; Missouri's Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control; Minors; Mid-Missouri teens; Tobacco Enforcement Agents; Missouri's Partnership on Smoking Or Health
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Overdrawn Delegates
This story reviews the telephone expenses of state lawmakers. Unable to pay their telephone bills, these officials had to cut back on their fiscal budgets. The story goes on to look at how the lenient system allows legislators to exceed their budgets.
Tags: State government; legislators; telephone bills; FOI
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On the Run. Atlantic County Criminals Walk Away from Justice Four Times More Often that the Statewide Average.
"More and more fugitives are willing to take the chance that law enforcement will never find them. All too often, that's the case. Fugitive units have been shortchanged - thanks to budget cuts and losses to the war on terrorism. Prosecutors, for economic reasons, sometimes won't even bring them back after they've been arrested in another state. And judges let them out on bail after they've pleaded guilty to offenses that will result in them serving a substantial prison term."
Tags: crimes; fugitives; justice system; bail jumping; arrest warrants