Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- According to the State Comptroller General's Office, 15 local governments have begun posting their spending online for public viewing.
Comptroller Richard Eckstrom has prompted the initiative as an effort for spending-transparency, and he says it's relatively easy to do, thanks to the technology at hand.
"It's the people's money, and in this Information Age it's not difficult or expensive to provide people easy access to government spending details," said Eckstrom in a Monday news release.
Last month, Aiken County and the city of Georgetown began posting monthly check registers online, giving taxpayers easy access to information about how the money is used.
Similar programs have already been established in the counties of Anderson, Charleston, and Dorchester; the towns or municipalities of Aiken, Cayce, Charleston, Chesnee, Irmo, Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Turbeville; and the Holly Springs Fire-Rescue District and the Berkeley County School District.
In addition to the 15 institutions that have already begin posting their check registers online, several local governments are planning to join the transparency program, Eckstrom said.
Richland County, the City of Columbia and the Town of Elgin are planning to post their check registers online soon.
The Towns of Irmo and Chesnee post their checkbooks on the comptroller's website, and other small towns without websites can send their check registers to the comptroller's office to be posted on www.cg.sc.gov. The Town of Elgin is scheduled to be posted on the comptroller's website.
"When spending is done in the open, public officials are usually more accountable, knowing their decisions could face scrutiny," Eckstrom said, "In tough financial times, when tax dollars are scarce, it's even more important that the public's business is conducted in full public view."
11/2/2009 1:08:10 PM
