Bill Would Require Online List Of Government Spending
Filed Under Bryant, Caucus, McConnell, Top News
Want to see where your state tax dollars are going?
You will be able to look it up online if a bill introduced in the General Assembly becomes law.
The communications director for state Senate Republicans said that the “Truth in Spending Act” would requires all state and local government entities, including school districts, to post monthly expenditures over $100 on their Web sites.
The bill was introduced Thursday and has several sponsors, including majority leader Sen. Glenn McConnell and Anderson Sen. Kevin Bryant.
State agencies that are part of the Governor’s cabinet already report their expenditures online; the bill would expand that requirement and include local governments.
“It’s all about accountability,” Bryant said in a release. “We want the citizens of this state to know how their money is being spent. The more access taxpayers have to information the more likely they are to hold government accountable for the spending of those dollars.”
Under bill, online listings of expenditures must be updated monthly and include the transaction amount, who got the money, and purpose of the expenditure.
The bill makes exceptions for spending by law enforcement agencies that could jeopardize the operations of a department.
State or local governments that do not maintain a website will be required to send information to the State Budget and Control Board, which will post the information on its site.
WYFF Greenville News
2/21/2008
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