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Posted on Tue, Nov 17, 2009 : 9:44 a.m.

Schools aren't the only government entities that need "transparency"

By Janelle Baranowski

Have you ever looked at your city’s budget? How about the county? Or the state? If you haven’t, I encourage you to go online and check them out. One word seems to echo in comments and debates about the recent WISD school enhancement millage proposal: Transparency. But it’s not just about the schools; we need to demand transparency regarding the use of all public funds.

Washtenaw County does a great job of making information available to the public on their website www.ewashtenaw.org . So does the City of Ann Arbor. But when you start exploring, you’ll find lots of numbers but very little context. Without context, the numbers are essentially useless. For example, the Washtenaw County Budget Proposa is divided by department, so I randomly chose to look at the budget for Trial Court: 2008 Actual $8,799,686

2009 Projected $8,963,765

2010 Recommended $7,923,215

2011 Recommended $7,861,952 It is easy to see the Trial Court department is aiming to cut around $1 Million from their budget next year. Are you curious where those cuts are going to come from? Then you need to access another document that provides individual department summaries. . There you’ll find the Trial Court Central Administration section, which states, “Modifications in salary and fringes reflect assumed impact of labor negotiations and fringe. In 2009 lump sum budget reduction of $250K, in 2010 lump sum budget reduction of $800K with an additional lump sum budget reduction in 2011 of $450K.” You’ll notice the Central Administration accounts for $3.4 million of the proposed 2010 Budget. You’ll also see their budget is broken down into four sub-categories: Personal Services, Supplies, Other Services, and Internal Service Charges. But there’s a lot you won’t see. You won’t see how these categories break down. You won’t know what Other Services cost $74K. You won’t know why there’s an increase of $30K for Supplies in 2010, compared to 2008 actual spending. And you won’t find information for the Trial Court-Civil/Criminal Division, which I assume accounts for the remaining $4.5 million in the 2010 budget proposal. This example is from one department of county government, but it is representative of the problems plaguing all levels of government. You can find some examples of government transparency, but unfortunately it is not the norm. For examples of transparency, go to showmichiganthemoney.org, where you can view the financials of some state legislators, school districts, and municipalities. Or visit Attorney General Cox’s Web site, where there’s a link to track your taxes. Transparency can happen if the public demands it. A concerned citizen should be able to look at public finances and understand how funds are being used. Furthermore, this information should be easily accessible in a searchable database. Citizens would be able to learn about the inner-workings of government, which I believe would foster more participation in our political system. Citizens could take more active roles in all levels of government, acting as watchdogs against abuse, corruption, and excessive spending.

Budget shortfalls mean cost savings and spending cuts are necessary. Currently, politicians, lobbyists, and special interests dominate this process. Let’s put the power back in the hands of the people. After all, it’s our money being spent.

Ann Arbor resident Janelle C. Baranowski is a 2005 graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in history and Eastern European studies. She is a sales associate at Pacific Industrial Development Corp. (PIDC).

Comments

Janelle Baranowski

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:26 a.m.

Ms. Judge, I look forward to meeting you tonight at the BoC meeting. I will be there regarding my application to the Community Action Board and the Workforce Development Board. Regards, Janelle Baranowski www.some-other-viewpoint.blogspot.com

Kristin Judge

Tue, Nov 17, 2009 : 8:42 p.m.

Thank you for writing this important article. It is the public's money, and the public should know how it is spent. As a citizen who submitted many Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to my local government before I became a commissioner, I am dedicated to making the county more transparent while I am on the board. Since being in office, I have asked for many documents to be created and made public so that the residents and tax payers who we work for understand how their money is being spent. Some of the documents include the following: Mandated vs. Non-Mandated Services and the cost associated with each, a county-wide organizational chart, a list of creations and eliminations of positions by department since 2003, and a monthly report of the $25,000 and under contracts that are not brought before the board. The citizens have my commitment that transparency is not just a word I throw around lightly. I am working each day to achieve it at the county level. If you have any questions about our budget, feel free to call me anytime at 734-646-2088. If you would like to receive my monthly email newsletter just email me at judgek@ewashtenaw.org.

voiceofreason

Tue, Nov 17, 2009 : 6:40 p.m.

I agree with everything said in the column. Now is the time for increasing demands to be placed on government at all levels. Public officials need to be continually reminded that public funds are not personal funds for them to do whatever they see fit.

sbbuilder

Tue, Nov 17, 2009 : 1:35 p.m.

Ms Baranowski Thank you for opening up the debate further. I agree wholeheartedly that the public's money needs to be accounted for in all aspects. In this information age, searchable databases should be the norm. If the public sector knew that the rest of us were peering over their shoulders, I think systemic problems would be ferreted out much sooner.