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Youngstown
Vindicator
Plan
would put Ohio's 'checkbook'
online
By Marc Kovac
Wed, May 8, 2013
A
Republican lawmaker and the GOP
state treasurer want to post Ohio’s checkbook online, enabling
residents to
keep tabs on state spending, particularly who receives public funds.
State
Rep. Mike Dovilla of Berea,
R-7th, said he plans to introduce his “Open Ohio” legislation this week
to
create an online database detailing all of the state’s expenditures.
The site
would be maintained by the state treasurer’s office and would provide
an easy
way for users to search checks issued by name or agency.
“Our
taxpayers deserve to know what
money is being spent on and where their money is being spent,” Dovilla
said.
“Our taxpayers deserve to know that we are committed as legislators to
advancing efficient effective state government that respects them.
Quite
simply, our taxpayers deserve better. One of the best ways to
accomplish this
objective is to allow Ohioans themselves to help us root out government
waste,
fraud and abuse.”
The
proposed database would include
the date of each state expenditure, the name of the recipient, the
agency that
offered the payment and the amount of money involved.
Treasurer
Josh Mandel also has
created a section of his office’s website that lists public employee
salaries.
He said the expenditure database would serve as a natural progression
and
provide greater public access to information about state spending.
“This
legislation essentially calls
for taking the state’s checkbook and putting in on the Internet,”
Mandel said,
adding, “The more sunlight we can shine on [government spending], the
more
efficient government will be.”
A
report released earlier this year
by the Public Interest Research Group gave Ohio a D-plus grade on
budget
transparency for failing to provide enough public access to its
financial
dealings. Ohio PIRG spokeswoman Tabitha Woodruff said the legislation
announced
Tuesday would likely raise the state’s ranking.
Read
the rest of the article at the Youngstown
Vindicator
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