Brogdon, Wesselhoft Push Online State Spending 'Daylight' Measure To Reveal Who Gets Dollars
Saying Oklahomans have the right to know exactly how their tax dollars are spent, state Rep. Paul Wesselhöft and state Sen. Randy Brogdon want to create an online database that will reveal exactly how the state government is spending money."People need to know how state money is spent - who is getting the money, how much have they received, where it comes from, and historical spending trends," said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. "Transparency will reduce misuse of state funds and ultimately increase taxpayer trust in the government. When citizens can go to a Web site and see exactly how their tax money is being spent, it can only serve to eliminate waste and increase public trust."
"The Oklahoma taxpayers deserve to know where their hard earned money is being spent," said Brogdon, R-Owasso. "All too often politicians spend the money behind closed doors. Sunshine is a great disinfectant and this Transparency Act will open the windows and let in the sun shine in."
Wesselhöft noted that an August poll found that 64 percent of Oklahoma voters believe state government wastes between 10 cents and 59 cents of every dollar it collects.
Wesselhöft and Brogdon's "Oklahoma Accountability and Transparency Act" will require the Office of State Finance to maintain a searchable Web site where citizens can investigate how their tax dollars are spent.
The program will be modeled on a new federal law authored by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Muskogee) that was recently signed into law. The federal program will allow citizens to "Google government" and type the name of any company, association, or state or locality to gain a listing of all grants and contracts awarded to that entity and how the money is being used.
The Oklahoma database championed by Wesselhöft and Brogdon will allow citizens to monitor the state budget, which totaled more than $7 billion this year, and will show how state money has been spent over the past 10 years.
"It is the citizens' business to know where their tax money is going," Wesselhöft said. "This is information that should be easily accessible to the taxpayers of Oklahoma. They have the right to see how every penny is spent." Images courtesy Oklahoma State Senate; left, Wesselhoft, right, Brogdon
"The Oklahoma taxpayers deserve to know where their hard earned money is being spent," said Brogdon, R-Owasso. "All too often politicians spend the money behind closed doors. Sunshine is a great disinfectant and this Transparency Act will open the windows and let in the sun shine in."
Wesselhöft noted that an August poll found that 64 percent of Oklahoma voters believe state government wastes between 10 cents and 59 cents of every dollar it collects.
Wesselhöft and Brogdon's "Oklahoma Accountability and Transparency Act" will require the Office of State Finance to maintain a searchable Web site where citizens can investigate how their tax dollars are spent.
The program will be modeled on a new federal law authored by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Muskogee) that was recently signed into law. The federal program will allow citizens to "Google government" and type the name of any company, association, or state or locality to gain a listing of all grants and contracts awarded to that entity and how the money is being used.
The Oklahoma database championed by Wesselhöft and Brogdon will allow citizens to monitor the state budget, which totaled more than $7 billion this year, and will show how state money has been spent over the past 10 years.
"It is the citizens' business to know where their tax money is going," Wesselhöft said. "This is information that should be easily accessible to the taxpayers of Oklahoma. They have the right to see how every penny is spent." Images courtesy Oklahoma State Senate; left, Wesselhoft, right, Brogdon
posted by Mike McCarville @ 10:08 AM
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