This article was co-authored by Pedro Morillas
Readers of this column may do a double take to see CALPIRG and the
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association advocating an identical
position. But when it comes to government transparency, we are
surely reading off the same sheet of music.
There is little debate that confidence in California government is
at a historic low. But even though a budget resolution has been
reached, a big challenge for Sacramento in the months ahead will be
to restore the trust that has been squandered.
Amid the dark fiscal news, one ray of hope coming from the budget
fiasco was the governor’s executive order to put government
contracts online and make them searchable by the public. Budget
transparency, while not a new idea, can be revolutionary. Public
oversight of the state’s purse is a cornerstone of democratic
government and provides an added incentive for those in government
to spend tax dollars as efficiently as possible. Transparency is an
important part of any real budget reform.
The governor’s Web site is up and running, and is a significant step
out of the transparency Stone Age for California. The site,
http://www.reportingtransparency.ca.gov/Contracts, is searchable by
department or supplier, and includes a few advanced search options
for the most inquisitive among us. The format is easy to navigate,
and the search results are easy enough to understand. The governor
should be applauded for these important steps.
But there is more to be done. The transparency portal lacks some
simple information that would be incredibly useful. From government
contracts to tax breaks for special interests, the governor’s site
could use some bulking up. For starters, taxpayers should have
access to all data relating to compensation of public employees and
members of government boards, as well as the extent to which some
corporate interests receive tax breaks and the potential revenue
loss associated with them.
Another simple improvement to make this tool far more searchable and
useful would be to describe spending items and tax breaks in
non-bureaucratic terms that people understand. Unlike many other
states, for example, in California there is no way to find out how
much the government spends on traffic lights or classroom desks.
Current budgetary information is virtually impossible to understand.
Making the transparency portal searchable by keyword or type of
spending, as many other states do, would make a world of difference.
California should be on the leading edge of the nation’s movement
toward making budgets transparent. But despite California’s
"high-tech" reputation, nearly two dozen other states beat us to the
punch. In the past few years, at least 23 states already have
mandated that citizens be able to access a searchable online
database of government expenditures. These states have come to
define what some call "Google Government," a new standard of
comprehensive, one-stop, one-click budget accountability and
accessibility. State governments are putting their checkbooks and
IOUs online in a format that puts information in reach and in
context the way that we’ve come to expect outside government.
Catching up to the other states and becoming a leader in open
government budgeting will help us make better choices together about
investments in our community. We all have a stake in the success of
our schools, transportation system, public health and other public
structures.
Experience from the leading Google Government states shows that
these Web portals are effective, low-cost tools that bolster citizen
confidence, reduce contracting costs, and improve public oversight.
The popularity of these sites can be seen, for instance, in the
millions of visits by citizens to Missouri’s Accountability Portal
Web site and in the increased number of businesses bidding for
government contracts on Houston’s transparency Web site.
These reforms also save money. The comptroller of Texas reports a
savings of $2.3 million from more competitive bidding. Estimates
suggest that transparency Web sites save millions more by reducing
the number of information requests from citizens and watchdog groups
and by increasing the number of bids for public projects. The
biggest savings may be from avoided scandals that we will never need
to hear about.
The disconnect in recent polls between taxpayers’ support for public
services and structures, and Californians’ unwillingness to pay for
them, points to a need for greater budget transparency. If the
governor can finish what he started, California’s Google Government
will be a vital tool to bring some sunlight to the gray days ahead.