Is it the dawning of the Age of Aquarius? Sorry, not yet. And until we force open the dark, damp dealings of government spending and, as the Fifth Dimension sang back in the mod 60s, "let the sunshine in," it never will.Here's just one state, just one slice of the government bureaucracy. But this example from Louisiana highlights the need for our tax-funded agencies to reach much higher levels of responsibility and accountability.
The headlines framing the issue are clear (“Louisiana faces $2 billion shortfall next year; $345 million deficit in current budget” and “Teachers union seeks $2,200 raise in ’09″) but left very much hidden are the ways the money has been and will be spent by the education officials.
For example, Sunshine Review took a look at the Louisiana school district websites. They found that:
12 sites didn’t disclose contact information for board members;
35 did not list a meeting schedule;
72 had no budget information at all;
80 did not list information on how to obtain public records;
80 did not disclose any information about lobbying activities;
Jayme Siemer at the Sunshine Review Blog concludes, "With results like that, do schools deserve more money in Louisiana? Disclose, then ask for a raise. Taxpayers deserve to know how and where their money is being spent, especially in trying economic times."
Have you checked out Sunshine Review? It represents a key source of information, resources, and encouragement for those who desire to make government more responsible, more efficient, more honest and more accountable to the people whose money it is spending.
