Buckeye Institute launches transparency project
From Sunshine Review
11 August 2008
The Buckeye Institute announced the launch of The Center for Transparent and Accountable Government. Former Statehouse reporter Mike Maurer will lead the center, gathering and publishing state budgets, contracts, info on public records access and other data for all Ohioans to see how their tax dollars are being spent.[1]
The first two initiatives of the Center will be a candidate transparency pledge and on open government wiki page for the state.
[edit] Candidate pledge
All candidates for elective office at all levels of government throughout the state will be receiving a Pledge for Transparency and Accountability in Government. It asks the candidate to acknowledge the importance of the following:
- internet availability
- the legal basis of transparency in state and federal constitutions
- the use of practical, current technologies such as searchable databases
[edit] Open government wiki
The Center has already begun work on their open government wiki, OhioSunshine.org. OhioSunshine will be a publicly editable wiki site available to all citizens. It is dedicated to open government and monitoring how well state and local governments provide information to the public.
In launching the Center, Buckeye Institute President David Hansen stressed the importance of open government, "The legitimacy of Ohio government rests on the consent of the governed, but that consent doesn't mean much when so much of government occurs hidden, or deeply buried. Twenty-First Century information technology should be applied to draw back the curtain that stands between government and the people."
