Published August 17, 2008 - Providence Journal
PUBLIC SERVICES just seem to cost more in the Ocean State, call it the “Rhode Island Factor.” “R.I. ranks 3rd nationally in fire department payrolls,” “R.I. ranks 2nd to last in pension financing,” and “R.I.’s inmate costs highest in nation” are some of the headlines recently reported. Back in the days of hand-set type they would have called these standing heads — stories so frequent that the printer left the type assembled.
Government does cost more in the Ocean State, but we no longer have to take it for granted. You have a right to see every dollar spent. In pursuit of this right, the Ocean State Policy Research Institute has created an Internet website to provide this information in an easy to access format. All aboard the OSPRI Transparency Train at www.oceanstatepolicy.org!
Climb aboard and find budgets, payrolls and even employee contracts – fire, police, teacher, administrator, and more. We will also include brief contract analyses, school-test scores and even the check register – every check or bank transfer that goes out each month.
Some of this information is already available online such as the check registers in Cumberland and soon in Lincoln. We salute the leaders of those communities for their commitment to transparency and we look forward to the day that every municipality and school district places all information online. But even then, this transparency project adds value to that accessibility as it provides one-stop-shopping to find all the information you want.
Another unique feature of this site is the cross-document search capability. Public documents are normally in “pdf” format, a digital picture of the document. Unfortunately, until now, you had to open each document to search for the information you needed. But with this new technology you can search the entire collection of documents with one mouse click.
Give it a try. Visit the site and type “Blue Cross” into the search window. This will provide you with a list of nearly 200 employee contracts that specifically identify this insurance carrier (are they blocking competitive bids?). Just having those documents at hand will empower taxpayers with the knowledge needed to fight for change.
A more transparent government can also stimulate competition. Imagine the day when a landscaper, plumber and car or copier salesperson can go online and see the last purchase made. Being a little bit more efficient could land them a new customer. This competition will produce lower prices with higher quality for the goods and services purchased with our taxes.
Thomas Jefferson knew the advantages of a transparent government and wrote that public finances should be “as clear and intelligible as a merchant’s books, so that (sic) every man of any mind in the Union, should be able to comprehend them, to investigate abuses, and consequently to control them.”
But not all cities, towns and school districts agree. While the vast majority of administrators are cooperating, or at least making an effort, towns like Foster, Richmond and Tiverton and the school districts of Foster/Gloster and West Warwick have refused, so far, to send any information.
This is not their money. It is the taxpayers’ and they have the right to see where every penny is going. Cities, towns and schools have largely operated without accountability but that time is now ending. And with unending budget deficits, the pressure for accountability will only increase. As long as Rhode Island continues to hide the over-spending and under-achievement, the “RI Factor” will remain alive and well.
So, now that the legislative session has closed and the battlefront moves from the State House to city halls and town meetings, it’s up to local authorities to find the efficiencies needed to get spending on track. Can you trust your leaders to do the exact opposite of what they did that got us into this mess? Perhaps a little oversight is in order.
So visit the Ocean State Policy Research Institute Web site and board the Transparency Train to keep an eye on your money. Do your part by monitoring the “RI Factor.” And then make sure those who represent you know you are watching. They are only a mouse click away, too.
William Felkner is the president of the Ocean State Policy Research Institute. Suzanne Carcieri, the wife of the governor, is on its board but does not review or participate in the research or writing of commentary pieces. |
