On March 18, 2008, Gov. Jim Gibbons issued an executive order (EO) which starts off rather badly. It reads, “Whereas, the purpose of the Nevada state government is to provide essential services to its citizens…”
Not. The purpose of the government is to protect our individual rights, not provide “essential services.” And exactly who gets to define what is “essential” anyway? Is a college-level course on the “Culture of Pizza” essential? (Amazingly, some people actually answer “Yes” to this question.)
Three more “whereases” down, and we get to the meat of the EO. The governor notes that the federal government created in 2006 “an internet site for the public to freely search and access information about government spending, grants, and contracts,” noting that “an open and transparent government will increase governmental accountability and will reduce costs and promote efficiency” in government. All true.
Therefore, Gov. Gibbons has instructed his administration to develop a public website and searchable database “allowing citizens to review state financial records,” including “financial data, vendor payments and payroll data.” In other words, the government’s checkbook.
Providing this information to the public, the media and taxpayer watchdog groups will provide the greatest tool for assuring government accountability we’ve seen in a long, long time. Finally, the government will be required to open its checkbook and let taxpayers take a peak inside.
Of course, the governor’s “Nevada Open Government Initiative” is only a proposal on a piece of paper at this point. But the EO does instruct the Nevada Department of Administration to “seek the cooperation and collaboration of the Nevada Controller” in order to put the government’s checkbook online for all the world to see “as soon as practicable.” Which I take to mean sooner rather than later.
State Controller Kim Wallin “is the chief fiscal officer charged with administering the state accounting system” and has been a leading advocate for just this kind of transparency website for more than a year now. Indeed, the state’s checkbook is already posted on an internal computer system for certain government employees. So all Ms. Wallin needs to do is transfer the existing internal database to an external public website.
Nevada uses pretty much the same accounting software system as Missouri, which has already established its own public transparency website. To do the same for Nevada would cost, at most, about $350,000. Peanuts for the state’s Department of Information Technology (DoIT) which operates on a $67 million budget. Surely DoIT can find a measly $350,000 lying around in the sofa cushions somewhere in order to allow the Controller to fully deploy this website “as soon as practicable,” which Wallin estimates would be in about 90-120 days once she receives the money.
There’s no reason in the world for Nevada taxpayers to have to wait until after another legislative session to see exactly where their tax dollars are going. The governor should immediately put the money Ms. Wallin needs behind his Executive Order and let the sun shine in before next November’s elections.
Posted on March 31st, 2008 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada
Good Morning Chuck;
Again I must thank you for keeping us informed of the many government short comings. I’ll bet The honorable(?) Governor didn’t check with anyone before putting his foot in his mouth on the issue of the purpose of the government is to protect our individual rights, not provide “essential services.” You caught it right away.
Additionally it has always been MY responsibility to provide “essential services ” for my family and myself. I know we agree that if the state government, as well as County and City government, would eliminate the “social relief” we are providing ILLEGALS and dead beats, there would be enough tax money in the coffers to keep the rest of the state running. (Pet Peeve).
As far as “Nevada Open Government Initiative”, it’s about damn time they are held accountable. This item sounded great at CLC and I applaud the effort Jim is putting towards opening the check book.
Have a great week and keep up the great work.
Bill
Hear-Hear, Bill!