Transparency

Comptroller publishes site ahead of the January deadline, despite budget contraints. But the site fails to satisy the leaders of the state’s transparency movement who say it falls short of the mark.

County takes lead role in making financial information more easily accessible. Transparency advocates say Jeffco’s project sets a standard other governments in Colorado should meet.

Bill to put state government’s checkbook online heads to governor. It would create a searchable, frequently updated database of state’s spending and revenue.

The Colorado Taxpayer Transparency Act cleared its last committee hurdle Friday, gaining unanimous support of the Senate Appropriations panel. It must now stand the test of the full Senate.

A bill that would require online disclosure of the state’s spending and revenues must clear two more committees before the entire House takes up the issue.

Transparency Act would go much further than governor’s recent executive order, which limits data to broad, general categories resulting in vague information, bill’s sponsors say.

Legislators supporting bill to set transparency in law say Ritter’s plan is too limited, too easy to reverse and would provide less information than current open records laws require.