Kentucky transparency on the up after several downs

Kentucky’s transparency website, www.opendoor.ky.gov is being recognized by the Center for Study of Responsive Law.

Kentucky’s transparency has since greatly improved. Last year, the Center for Study of Responsive Law criticized the state for not publishing the full text of state contracts online, and the state would have been considered one of the worst on transparency.

This year, however, Kentucky has taken the initiative to change. In April this year, Kentucky was recognized as the only state to receive an “A” rating for transparency in a report published by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, whose findings we include on our state website transparency evaluations.

In addition to its transparency website, Kentucky operates http://kentuckyatwork.ky.gov, which publishes information about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects.

Another sign that Kentucky is seriously committing to transparency is Senate Bill 88, which passed and will soon become law. This bill requires more transparency from taxpayer-funded organizations such as the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties. The Kentucky Association of Counties, at least, is taking their new mandated responsibilities seriously. It aims to become a model for other taxpayer-funded lobbying associations as far as their accountability standards.

I’ll end this post with a hopeful quote from the Center for Study of Responsive Law that summarizes the significance of Kentucky’s turn-around:

“Kentucky went from a worst performer to one of the best full-transparency states all in one year. This remarkable progress demonstrates the ease and speed with which all states could open their books to their citizens.”

Feedback Needed: Kentucky Open Door

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear is requesting feedback on the state’s new transparency site, Kentucky’s Open Door. Gov. Beshear created the site through executive order, but likely followed the lead of visionary Secretary of State Trey Grayson. The deadline for comments is October 17th.

Experiencing some writers block?

Shop for ideas on Sunshine Review’s Transparency Checklist or check out Americans for Tax Reform‘s outstanding proposals here.

H/T: ATR

KY Progress takes gov to the woodshed

Kentucky Progress called out Governor Steve Beshear’s administration on calling a transparency taskforce meeting when a key leader in the movement, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, cannot be present. Grayson will be attending the Republican National Convention during the scheduled meeting time. Kentucky Progress notes that this will only be the second taskforce meeting since the inaugural June 19th session. Grayson has already launched a searchable checkbook registry, Check It Out Kentucky, that he says should serve as an example of how transparency can be accomplished.

The Bluegrass Policy Blog notes that Kentucky will likely follow Missouri Governor Matt Blunt’s model in transparency by executive order, but seems to be dragging his feet instead of opening his books to KY taxpayers.

The WHAS political blog has more. Go check it out.

A little somethin’ for everyone

BureaucracyBlog had a great post today on why transparency is needed for all of the political spectrum. Here’s a taste:

People have grown disgusted with wasteful pork-barrel spending and plain inefficiency. We must eliminate the secrecy that surrounds government spending. Let the people see how government is spending their money and then you will see responsibility return to government. Whether you believe in less government or believe that more money should be directed toward education and social services, we can all agree that reducing wasteful government spending is in everyone’s best interests.

Most of this information is publicly available, accessible by state employees, but the public can get this information only by sending an open records request, waiting for someone to rummage through file cabinets or computer files and then either pay them to copy the material or travel yourself to Frankfort to view it.

This issue transcends the traditional gulf between liberals and conservatives.

Go read the rest here. Bravo! Let’s keep on keepin’ on with the bi-partisan battle for transparency.