| How to Persuade the Skeptics: Transparency's Value in Tough Times
One myth that transparency advocates must explode is that opening up government spending would be too costly. Earlier this month, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs provided some new ammunition with which to debunk that objection. Her offices have already saved $4.8 million through transparency, and they anticipate another $3.8 million in saved expenses. And Combs’s agency is just one of 200 state agencies in Texas. Fine, but how much did it cost to establish Where the Money Goes, Texas’s transparency database? Only $300,000 according to this article. That’s a return on the original investment of over 15 times. Factor in the savings of other agencies and the ROI becomes monumental.
If you have any evidence about how transparency has saved taxpayer dollars, make it known on www.showmethespending.com!
Public Interest Institute Announces Transparency Site
Iowa’s Public Interest Institute recently announced the launch of www.iowatransparency.org, a set of pages that focus on the voting records and spending habits of Iowa’s legislators. Following the model of the National Taxpayers Union Foundation’s federal research, the Institute’s Bill Tally tracks the spending associated with Iowa’s sponsored legislation, while Vote Tally analyzes floor votes on appropriations bills and enables citizens to see reports on the spending patterns of Iowa’s legislators.
Additionally, the Institute will continue to publish its monthly Iowa Transparency Newsletter that focuses on the latest in transparency news from Iowa and across the other states. December’s edition is available here and it notes that Iowa’s total expenditures in Fiscal Year 2009 “are estimated by the State Auditor to be $6,588,800,000….” The Public Interest Institute is part of the 30 + member Show Me the Spending Coalition. Although the Coalition’s profile page on Iowa doesn’t chronicle much success yet, we look forward to how www.iowatransparency.org will promote transparency’s spread.
Pennsylvania Transparency Conference
Mark your calendars now: Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Foundation is hosting a transparency symposium on January 13th. The symposium “Opening Pennsylvania Government” will feature the unveiling of the Foundation’s new transparency project www.pennsylvaniavotes.org and a discussion of how bloggers, citizens, media, and government officials can help open up the workings of government. The luncheon speaker is Terry Mutchler, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. Register and read more about the event’s agenda by clicking here. Even if you can’t attend, get up to speed on Pennsylvania’s level of transparency.
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