Civic LanternAsk freely. See the evidence. Think for yourself.
Public records, translated for regular people
Civic Lantern follows questions from Lebanon and Wilson County residents, finds the strongest available records, and separates what is confirmed from what is still unclear.
Current investigations
Each page leads with a plain-English answer, shows the records behind it, and keeps unresolved questions visible.
Taxes & finance · Issue 003
The county, Lebanon, and LSSD rates all fell, but an individual bill can still rise when a property's value increases faster than the tax base overall.
Taxes & finance · Issue 002
Three earlier audits reported no findings. Beginning in 2023, the reports identified recurring financial-control and budget-compliance problems, with some later improvement and resolution.
Infrastructure · Issue 001
Available records support concern about capacity and compliance, but key engineering, site-selection, cost, and financing records are still needed before a final conclusion can be made.
Inside each investigation
Civic Lantern is built as a public research notebook, not a black box.
The answer
The plain-English finding appears first, without making readers decode government language.
The evidence trail
Source documents, dates, agencies, and relevant context are listed so claims can be checked.
The unfinished parts
Missing records and unresolved questions stay visible instead of being polished away.
Research log
A visible record of meaningful additions, corrections, and new evidence.
The new issue page combines the county, city, and LSSD rates, shows example bills, and explains why a lower rate does not guarantee a lower bill for every property.
Read Issue 003 →The audit review now covers six consecutive fiscal years and shows that the published pattern changed beginning in fiscal year 2023.
Read the six-year review →The source rules, evidence labels, correction process, privacy protections, and limits on automation are now public.
Read the standards →