[open-government] New Report Ranks All Fifty States on Government Spending Transparency

Wed Apr 13 14:49:38 UTC 2016

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, April 13th, 2016

Michelle Surka, program associate

617 747 4386, msurka at pirg.org

United States Public Interest Research Group Education Fund

New Report Ranks All Fifty States on Government Spending Transparency

Government spending transparency is improving, but many states still lag far
behind, according to
<http://uspirgedfund.org/reports/usf/following-money-2016> "Following the
Money 2016: How the 50 States Rate in Providing Online Access to Government
Spending Data," the sixth annual report of its kind by the U.S. Public
Interest Research Group Education Fund. Some states have improved their
spending transparency web portals significantly, earning perfect scores in
this year's report, while others are still barely achieving the minimum
standards.

"As tax day approaches, millions of Americans will write checks to their
state governments. Citizens deserve to be able to follow their tax dollars,
from the most minor state expenditures to the most major development
subsidies," said Michelle Surka, program associate with U.S. Public Interest
Research Group Education Fund. "This year, it's clear that several states
made a commitment to meeting the high national standards for spending
transparency. Other states continue to lag behind, unable to overcome some
of the barriers that prevent comprehensive spending disclosures."

Officials from 43 states provided the researchers with feedback on their
initial evaluation of state transparency websites. The leading states with
the most comprehensive transparency websites are Ohio, Michigan, Indiana,
Oregon, and Connecticut. 

Based on an inventory of the content and ease-of-use of states' transparency
websites, the "Following the Money 2016" report assigns each state a grade
of "A+" to "F."

"States' online spending transparency efforts are paying off in better
informed citizens and a more efficient government," said Elizabeth
Ridlington, policy analyst with Frontier Group and co-author of the report.
"Our research found that top-ranked states have been making steady
improvements to their transparency websites over the years, giving citizens
in most states unprecedented access to information on where their tax money
goes."

This year, most states have met basic standards for providing online access
to information about state contracting and an increasing number provide
information about economic development subsidies and off-budget agencies.

Several states have made substantive upgrades to their transparency sites or
added new features that give the public unprecedented ability to monitor how
their government allocates resources. Of particular note:

*         Michigan streamlined its transparency data and added functionality
to its transparency website, including allowing bulk download of all its
data. 

*         West Virginia launched a new site with data on projected and
actual public benefits of the state's major subsidy programs. 

*         Utah and Arizona have joined several other states in adding data
from localities, municipalities and school districts to their state
transparency portals. This provides an inexpensive way to improve the
transparency of the spending that often affects ordinary citizens most
directly. 

*         Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Washington now
prominently feature data on quasi-public entities with web pages dedicated
solely to these agencies, boards, authorities and commissions.

While many states continue to improve, the states that most distinguished
themselves as leaders in spending transparency are those that provide access
to types of expenditures that otherwise receive little public scrutiny. Only
11 states provide checkbook-level information that includes the recipients
of each of the state's most important subsidy programs.

States that have created or improved their online transparency have
typically done so with little upfront cost. Top-flight transparency web
portals can save money for taxpayers, while also restoring public confidence
in government and preventing misspending and pay-to-play contracts.

State spending transparency is a non-partisan issue. The report compared
transparency scores against party control of Governors' offices and the
state legislatures. For neither measure did higher levels of spending
transparency correspond to Republican or Democratic control.

To read the full report:
http://uspirgedfund.org/reports/usf/following-money-2016

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