Let’s bring back that late-night charity voice:

“For just $52.88 a day… you too can support a local newspaper…”

Only this time, it’s not voluntary.
It’s baked into the budget like stale cafeteria pizza.

Because Superior taxpayers dropped $19,300.50 in 2025 on newspaper spending —about $52.88 a day.

Or in coffee terms:

• • 26 Kwik Trip Coffees daily

• • Enough caffeine to keep a newsroom buzzing… or at least solvent

And suddenly… things start making a little more sense.

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The Daily Grind Comes With Strings Attached

Think about it.

If someone bought you a twenty six coffees every single day, no questions asked…

You probably wouldn’t:

• • Roast them publicly

• • Dig too deep into their problems

• • Or start flipping rocks in their backyard

You’d smile. Nod. Maybe run their press release.

Now apply that logic to a newspaper getting steady taxpayer-funded ad revenue.

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Investigative Journalism… Brought to You by the People Being Investigated?

Here’s where it gets awkward.

The same entity:

• • Spending $52.88 a day

• • Buying ads, notices, and space

Is also the one:

• • Making decisions

• • Passing budgets

• • Running the show

And the paper?

Well… it’s supposed to hold them accountable.

That’s like asking your landlord to write an exposé about themselves while you’re paying their mortgage.

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“We Ensure Transparency” (Translation: Please Don’t Look Too Hard)

Mayor Jim Paine and the council don’t need to say a word.

The system says it for them.

Official line:
“This is required for public transparency.”

Real-world effect:
A steady stream of revenue flowing from City Hall to the paper.

Nobody’s saying there’s a backroom deal.

But you don’t need a conspiracy when you’ve got comfortable dependence.

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Weekly, Monthly… Loyalty Program?

Let’s recap the “subscription”:

• • $52.88/day → 26+ coffees

• • $371.16/week → caffeine-fueled silence

• • $1,603.38/month → a pretty loyal customer

At this point, the city isn’t just placing ads.
It’s basically on a newspaper rewards program.

“Buy 300 notices, get one softball article free.”

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Meanwhile, Reality Check

Teachers? Still underpaid. Still showing up. Still doing the work.
City workers? Grinding daily, no headlines required.

But the system?

It keeps pouring taxpayer money into a pipeline that looks less like journalism and more like mutual comfort.

And somehow, the people at the top still find ways to keep their own cups full.

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The Unspoken Rule: Don’t Rock the Revenue Boat

No one prints this part.

No one says it out loud.

 

But it hangs in the air like burnt coffee:

When you’re being funded by the subjects… how hard do you really push?

Not zero.
Not nothing.

But maybe not too hard either.

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Final Crossing Signal: Follow the Money, Find the Mute Button

This isn’t about accusing anyone of anything shady.

It’s simpler—and somehow worse.

It’s about a system where:

• • Taxpayers fund the paper

• • The paper covers the city

• • And everyone just kind of… coexists

No drama. No explosions. Just a slow simmer of don’t rock the boat energy.

Because when City Hall is spending $52.88 a day for the press…

You don’t need to say “go easy on us.”

“The receipts already did.”

Mic drop.

#DontBiteTheHand

#52ADay

#WatchdogOrLapdog