The Transparency Train

Welcome aboard the Transparency Train -- an ongoing project creating a searchable web site that contains budgets, payrolls, contracts and the monthly check registers for every city, town and school district in Rhode Island. Updates are made daily as new information becomes available.

 

Web site Disclaimer

The information provided in this web site is an ongoing compilation of data provided by each town and school district including statewide payroll and budget information. The data provided on this web site is meant solely as an education tool and to provide a beginning to the dialog of where our tax dollars are spent.

The Transparency Project also benefits municipalities in developing Requests For Proposals (bids for contracts). As an example, with transparency in contracts and the check registers online, goods and service providers can see how much the town is paying now and perhaps they may see an opportunity for a lower bid. Image the day when every landscaper, plumber, technician and vehicle salesperson can see how much the potential customer paid for the last order. We expect this project to produce lower-cost bids and more of them.

Most of the data was provided in pdf form. We may also convert the data into html (web site) and office document (Excel, Word, etc..) formats. This conversion may have resulted in column shifts or other inaccuracies; therefore we request that the pdf document be referenced as the accurate original if both are available.

All aboard the Transparency Train! Follow the link to access the database.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OSPRI'S TRANSPARENCY TRAIN PROJECT,, contact us at (401) 228-6691 or by email at info@oceanstatepolicy.org.