Improved website good start toward more open government

Announcements by perennial candidates like Don Stenberg are always suspect, but the state treasurer's release touting Nebraska's top 10 ranking for providing online access to government spending data could be a game changer, provided taxpayer advocates and proponents of responsible government use it correctly.

The NebraskaSpending.gov website, maintained by Stenberg's office, received a B+ rating in 2013, up from a D in 2010, a C in 2011 and a B in 2012.

Texas was the top state with 96 of 100 points awarded by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, six states received letter grades of A- and Nebraska, with 88 of 100 points, was one of three states with letter grades of B+.

If your head isn't still spinning from completing your tax forms, perhaps you'd like to see where your money is going -- at least on the state and local levels -- by visiting NebraskaSpending.gov. By checking various boxes, you can bring up budgets for various expenditures such as the McCook Public Schools general fund (about $5.5 million) the City of Imperial's total property tax request (about $878,000) or the Oxford Rural Fire District's operating expenses ($90,000).

Of special interest is an effort to increase the grade by making better disclosure of Economic Development Tax Credits, Grants and Public Benefits of Economic Development.

"We are continuing to work with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to make this information available on our website," Stenberg said.

"In addition, one of my top priorities this year is to put all state contracts online," Stenberg said. "To that, I have been working with Sen. Sue Crawford on LB429 and testified in support of that bill earlier this year," he said.

Her LB429 would require state agencies and departments to provide electronic copies of contracts to the Department of Administrative Services.

The website, which had an increase of 41 percent in visits last year, has more and more spending information all the time, as well as providing information about filing Freedom of Information Requests for state government information, links to tax incentive programs through the State Revenue Department and also got points for providing checkbook information about off-budget agencies such as the Nebraska Corn Board, a quasi-public agency.

The U.S. PIRG, which is not affiliated with the U.S. government, issued the data in its annual "Following the Money" report.

Like the famous line from "All the President's Men," only if we "follow the money" will we be able to make sure taxpayer dollars are being put to their best and proper use.

Websites like NebraskaSpending.gov are a good start.