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For Immediate Release
6/9/09
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Senate Approves Taxpayer Transparency Act

Legislation would expand public access to state spending records

Harrisburg – The Senate last week approved a measure to expand the public's access to state spending records.

Senate Bill 105, supported by Senator John Pippy (R-37) and commonly known as the Taxpayer Transparency Act, would direct the Department of the Treasury to create and maintain a searchable budget database-driven website that the public can access, for free, to obtain:

• Information on grants and contracts provided by government agencies;
• All transactions above $25,000 would be accessible to the public;
• Agency performance indicators and quarterly performance results compared to these indicators; and
• Agency line-by-line appropriation analysis including user-friendly detailed monetary breakouts and detailed narrative descriptions.

Based on the experiences of other states with similar databases, the startup cost is expected to range from $60,000 to $150,000.  However, the investment will pay off by providing citizens with increased access to information, which in turn will increase accountability.

"This proposal is a follow-up to government reform measures already approved by the General Assembly and the rules adopted by the Senate.  Those efforts have taken major steps to improve the way we disclose information to the residents of the Commonwealth.  This legislation is another important and essential move in that direction," Senator Pippy said.

Contact:

Greg Mahon
(717) 787-5839