Collaborative transparency projects
From Sunshine Review
Collaborative transparency projects focus on specific aspects of transparency. Each collaborative project involves the joint efforts of multiple wiki editors. The goal of each individual project is to build a comprehensive body of information about that specific transparency issue. Projects change on a monthly basis, and each month's completed webpage(s) resulting from these projects will be publicized in the Coalition's weekly transparency update and other media.
Contents |
February 2009
The goal of February's collaborative project is to relate each state's transparency, fiscal stability, and the portion of a federal stimulus it may receive. Although many factors determine whether a state is in the red or black, transparency is a significant one because it furthers economic stability by fostering efficient spending. As Texas Comptroller Susan Combs and others have claimed, transparency enables government to eliminate waste, an objective for which all should strive during a recession. Likewise, the degree to which a state receives federal aid when it is insolvent will also, in the long-run, determine that state's tendency to develop prudent or ill-advised spending and budgetary habits. If bailouts are guaranteed when times are rough, foresight and frugal spending seem unnecessary when state coffers are full.
To contribute to this project, find out information about your state's
- estimated budget shortfall for what's left of the 2008-2009 fiscal year, and that shortfall's percentage of the spending that was planned for the 2008-2009 fiscal year
- anticipated cut from a federal stimulus package
Post this information by clicking here, and as you do so, be sure to reference the news articles that you used.
January 2009
The focus of January's group project is on bringing greater transparency to state and local education spending. Put up information about your state or local education spending by clicking here.
December 2008
The focus of December's group project is discovering and listing budget websites and budget analyses for each state. While some budget pages are already available, they will be more useful when aggregated in a central location. Likewise, accurate, in-depth budget analyses are vital as citizens assess the decisions of government officials and legislators. Click here to add information about where citizens can find budget information and analysis for your state.
November 2008
The focus of November's group project is discovering and listing state employee salary databases and information. Thanks to the Asbury Park Press, taxpayers have at least some information about federal employee salaries. Many states, however, lack this type of information:
- A handful of state governments enable citizens to search for specific state employees' salaries.
- Citizens of other states must use independently developed databases, often maintained by online newspapers.
- For citizens of some states, public employee salary information is not available online.
By the end of November, the Coalition plans to have every available public employee salary database listed on this page. To join in November's efforts alongside your fellow wiki editors, begin researching and then post your findings by clicking here.
Suggested future projects
Feel free to suggest future transparency collaborative projects on this page. For example:
- Independent education and school district transparency websites
- Information on state union activity and transparency. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor posts important transparency reports that detail how union bosses spend rank-and-file dues. Take a look at www.unionreports.gov.
