Projected costs may hold up budget transparency reform

The Olympian reports this morning that lawmakers support the concept of creating a searchable budget website but are concerned about the projected price tag of one of the proposals ($1.4 million):

"Not the right year to be asking for it, but the right idea," said Rep. Kelli Linville, D-Bellingham, on Wednesday. "It's public dollars, and the more transparency in the budget, the better."

The million dollar fiscal note is surprising in light of the experience of the states that have already implemented their versions of this reform.

The fiscal note for Texas showed “no fiscal implication to the State is anticipated” for its website.

Missouri's budget office said its website was done "within existing resources."

Then there's also the possibility of free assistance with programming and source code for the website from Microsoft and Google.

Even if the projected costs are accurate, I have to imagine that improving citizen access to details on the billons spent by government would rank high on the state’s priority list under government accountability efforts (much like the costs of complying with the public records law).

Time will tell if lawmakers share this view.

Comments

[Rick Becker]

I'm sure the web site can be funded adequately with money remaing for tax rebates to the citizens by redirecting money from Tribal Casino owners that is part of the current budget.