Coming Soon to A Government Near You: The Tool To Track Your Tax Dollars

Ever since the passage of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, which led to the creation of www.usaspending.gov, the effort to empower taxpayers to track their tax dollars at a mouse click has grown into a powerful movement.

Frankly, it should be a no-brainer for all legislatures to pass this kind of legislation, because after all, it's the taxpayers' money they are appropriating. People from across the political spectrum agree, as evidenced by this letter by consumer advocate Ralph Nader and ATR president Grover Norquist, or this letter co-signed by sponsors of spending transparency legislation from both sides of the political aisle.

The good news just keeps rolling in:

• The Utah legislature - only hours before adjourning last week - passed legislation mandating the creation of an online database for state expenditures;
• The finish line is also in plain sight for the Washington State spending transparency legislation;
• South Dakota's bill is awaiting the governor's signature - who by the way could use a little push to get his act together and sign this common sense bill;
• Louisiana's legislature just passed Gov. Jindal's spending transparency bill;
• and the Kansas and South Carolina websites just launched.

At least 17 states are working on spending transparency legislation this session. Check out ATR's comprehensive memo for more info.

The question to ask your legislators these days: Got Transparency?