Cost of state transparency websites

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Contents

State transparency websites are designed to enhance public awareness of government spending and, in turn, fiscal responsibility. The cost of state transparency websites includes all of the financial costs required to establish and maintain such a website. Costs can differ widely based on the functions, state and vendors chosen, however a 2009 study by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University finds that governments typically overestimate these costs and disregard the savings that transparency websites create. [1]

[edit] Federal Costs

The Congressional Budget Office estimated that implementation of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act would cost about $10 million initially in 2007 and about $15 million total over the 2007-2011 period. [2]. Actual initial startup costs were much lower, at $600,000.[3].

[edit] State costs

Cost estimates for creating an online transparency website have varied widely from state to state. As Nebraska's Treasurer Shane Osborn notes, such estimates are sometimes exaggerated. The following table, based on information received through email and original research, helps explain the cost of becoming transparent.

State Site Legal Authority Cost
Alaska Alaska Checkbook Online Executive Order $5,000 of staff time, $15,000-$25,000 from existing budget[4]
Georgia Open Georgia Georgia Senate Bill 300 (2008) Existing resources
Illinois Illinois Open Book Hosted by State Comptroller Dan Hynes Existing resources
Kansas KanView HB 2457 $100,000[4]
Kentucky Kentucky's Open Door Governor's Request[5] Existing resources ($150,000 to be requested for hardware and maintenance)
Kentucky Check it out Kentucky! Hosted by Secretary of State Trey Grayson -
Kentucky V.I.E.W. Office of the Treasurer -
Louisiana LaTrac Executive Order & Legislation Existing resources ($1 million appropriated for expansion)[4]
Maryland Maryland:Funding Accountability & Transparency HB 358 Existing resources (less than $100,000)[4]
Mississippi Mississippi:Management and Reporting System - -
Missouri Missouri Accountability Portal Executive Order Existing resources with an estimated cost of $293,140[4]
Nebraska Nebraska Spending.com Hosted by State Treasurer Shane Osborn $38,000[4]
Nevada Nevada Open Government Executive Order $85,000 (+$51,000 in upcoming months)
New York Open Book New York Hosted by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli -
Oklahoma Oklahoma Open Books SB 1 Initial cost $40,000, future expenses $245-$260,000[6]
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Contract e-Library Hosted by State Treasurer Wiessman $456,850[7]
Rhode Island Rhode Island Treasury Online Checkbook Rhode Island Treasurer Used existing monies.[8]
South Carolina South Carolina Spending Transparency South Carolina Executive Order 2007-14 $25,000 - $50,000 from existing resources[4]
South Dakota open.sd.gov Governor's Request & SB 143 Existing resources
Texas Texas Window on State Government House Bill 3430 $300,000[9]
Utah Utah website (in development) Senate Bill 38 $192,000[10]
West Virginia West Virginia State Agency Grants Senate Bill 4006 (2005) Existing resources
Washington Washington state budget SB 6818 $300,000[4]
See a chart on the functionality of the websites
See a complete listing of transparency websites

[edit] Vendors

The software used by the Office of Management and Budget to create USASpending.gov is now available for free from OMB Watch.[11]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. http://www.mercatus.org/uploadedFiles/Mercatus/Publications/MOP40_GAP_Transparency_web.pdf Mercatus Center at George Mason University, “The Cost of State Online Spending-Transparency Initiatives,” April 2009, p. 3
  2. http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/74xx/doc7483/s2590.pdf Congressional Budget Office, "Cost Estimate of S. 2590—Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006," August 9, 2006
  3. Elizabeth Williamson, “OMB Offers an Easy Way to Follow the Money,” Washington Post, December 13, 2007, A33
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Mercatus Center, The Cost of State Online Spending Transparency Initiatives, April 2009
  5. opendoor.ky.gov, "About"
  6. National Taxpayers Union, Testimony of Kristina Rasmussen, NTU Government Affairs Director, Submitted to the Health and Government Operations Committee, Maryland House of Delegates, Regarding HB 358, the Maryland Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, Feb. 6, 2008
  7. Estimate based upon information from the Pennsylvania Contract e-Library; specifically, two contracts the state had with Koryak Consulting
  8. Rhode Island Treasurer, How much did this project cost?
  9. Liberty for All, Transparency doesn't cost, it saves, Dec. 30, 2008
  10. Sutherland Institue, FOIA request, Jan. 29, 2009
  11. OMB Watch, Action Center