Archive for the ‘Transparency’ Category

Ten Transparency Principles

(Sunlight Foundation) The transparency group Sunlight Foundation has followed up on its 2007 list of “8 Principles of Open Government,” extending the list to ten must-do’s for proper public access to information. Read the article <here>
August 12th, 2010 | Transparency | Read More

Alaska Watchdog:Boroughs to end financial disclosure laws

An often overlooked provision in Alaska statute allows cities to exempt themselves from campaign financial disclosure requirements, and several Alaskan boroughs have made the move to include the exemptions on the upcoming October ballots. On Tuesday night, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly introduced an ordinance...
August 5th, 2010 | Policy, Transparency | Read More

Financial Regulation Bill Exempts SEC From FOIA Requests

Under a little-noticed provision of the recently passed financial-reform legislation, the Securities and Exchange Commission no longer has to comply with virtually all requests for information releases from the public, including those filed under the Freedom of Information Act. The law, signed last week...
July 29th, 2010 | Accountability, Recent News, Transparency | Read More

Budget manipulation and its effects on taxpayers

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University takes a serious look at state budgets and the inflation of them caused by gimmickry, fiscal evasion, and fiscal illusion; all common practices which pass extra costs off to taxpayers. Read the full report <here>
July 22nd, 2010 | Transparency | Read More

State rolls millions in to General Fund

(AlaskaWatchdog.org) After several years of internal discussion and organization, the Legislative Finance Division has completed a project that adds more than $750 million into the General Fund in an effort to simplify State finances. Legislative Fiscal Analyst David Teal said the Budget Clarification...
July 16th, 2010 | Fiscal Policy, Policy, Transparency | Read More

Ohio Taxpayers Find Pension Transparency Elusive

(Cincinnati Enquirer) Ohio taxpayers kick in about $4 billion a year for state and local government pensions. They may be asked to give an additional $325 million on top of that. What do they get in return? Virtually no information at all about who’s getting what. Read more…
July 16th, 2010 | Transparency | Read More

Group claims exemption from open records law

(The State) A state education association has asked a federal court to decide whether South Carolina freedom of information laws violate the group’s First Amendment rights. The case centers on whether the South Carolina Association of School Administrators must comply with an open records request....
July 12th, 2010 | Education, Transparency | Read More

Government Contracts Should Be Easier to Access

By Jeremy Thompson July 7, 2010 It shouldn’t be this difficult. Earlier this year, the Alaska Policy Forum submitted public records requests to local governments and school districts looking for any sole-source contracts they may have, asking for the name of the vendor, date of the contract, and...
July 7th, 2010 | Fiscal Policy, Recent News, Transparency | Read More