Evaluation of Massachusetts city websites

Below is a chart evaluating the transparency efforts of Massachusetts city websites.

Reading the chart

In the chart below:

	means that information is included on the government website
	means that the information was not provided on the government website
P	means that information was partially provided

Check the Sunshine Review page about each City for more detailed information about what information is available on the City website, along with recommendations SR users have made for positive changes.

• See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard

Conclusions chart

2012

In 2012, the top five cities were rated by Sunshine Review and averaged a "C" transparency grade.

	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Permits/ Zoning?	Audits?	Contracts?	Lobbying?	Public records?	Taxes?
Y	5	4	3	2	4	4	3	0	1	5
P	0	1	2	2	1	0	2	1	1	0
N	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	4	3	0

Comparison chart

City	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Boston, Massachusetts	B-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	P	N	Y
Cambridge, Massachusetts	C	Y	P	Y	P	P	Y	Y	N	-Y	Y
Lowell, Massachusetts	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	N	P	N	N	Y
Springfield, Massachusetts	C	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y
Worcester, Massachusetts	B-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	N	P	Y

Comparison chart

Please check each district to see when it was last rated, if there is no time stamp then check the "History" tab to see when it was last edited.

City	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Boston, Massachusetts	B-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	P	N	Y
Cambridge, Massachusetts	C	Y	P	Y	P	P	Y	Y	N	-Y	Y
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts	D-	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	N	N	Y	N
Lowell, Massachusetts	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	N	P	N	N	Y
Springfield, Massachusetts	C	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y
Worcester, Massachusetts	B-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	N	P	Y

Correcting errors

If you discover an error in this chart or on one of the articles about a Massachusetts city, you can correct it immediately or report the error.

	v • d • e State of Massachusetts Boston (capital)
Transparency	Public Records Act | Transparency Checklist | Government corruption reports | Transparency Legislation | Open Records procedures | Transparency Advocates | Transparency blogs | State budget | Taxpayer-funded lobbying associations |
Divisions	State | List of Counties | List of Cities | List of School Districts | Evaluation of county websites | Evaluation of city websites | Evaluation of school district websites |
Government	Massachusetts State Constitution | Executive | House of Representatives | Senate |
Judiciary	Massachusetts Supreme Court | Circuit Court of Appeals | District Courts | Judicial Nominating Commission | Judicial news | Judicial activist organizations |
Ballot Measures	2008 ballot measures | List of ballot measures | State ballot report | Amending the constitution | History of direct democracy | Campaign finance requirements |