Kentucky: Finance Cabinet - E-Transparency

FROM CHAIRMAN JONATHAN MILLER

Vision:

This spring, Governor Steve Beshear issued an Executive Order to establish the e-Transparency Task Force, a 14-member panel committed to provide a more transparent, accountable state government, a government that helps eliminate wasteful spending and restores public faith in its leaders. To that end, Task Force members have been tasked by the Governor to establish Kentucky’s Open Door, a Web site designed to provide a one-stop venue where citizens can review how their tax dollars are being spent, as well as obtain other vital information about state-funded programs. Kentucky’s Open Door will be launched by January 2009, and will serve as a user-friendly forum that will display all state expenditure information that is permitted under state law.

• This will include data available under the Open Records Act, but exclude data that is “protected” pursuant to applicable state, federal law, policy/procedures.

• The current and previous two Fiscal Years of data will be made available.

• Citizens will be able to access data by agency and by category (with drill-down capabilities to specific vendor payments); and by vendor.

Progress:

• On June 19, the Task Force held its first meeting to outline the Governor’s vision, to take testimony from the Treasurer and Secretary of State on their current smaller models to provide public data in the transition, and to hear from government experts about the challenges and legal limitations that will define the Task Force’s work.

• Since the June 19 meeting, executed letters of acceptance have been requested from the Transportation Cabinet, the Auditor of Public Accounts, and the Finance and Administration Cabinet to allow the State Treasurer’s Office to proceed with uploading their data live into the V.I.E.W. application. Once these final letters of acceptance have been received in the next few weeks, the application will be placed in production and made live at www.kytreasury.com.

• The State Controller’s Office has completed its preliminary interviews with all state agencies, and is circulating letters of understanding which provide a mutual understanding on the expectations and types of information that would be included in our transparency efforts.

• Finance’s Office of General Counsel has been in communication with state agencies to identify any specific types of information which need to be protected and would be excluded from public view. Examples would include: settlements which have a specific legal obligation not to be disclosed, payments to victims of crime, and any payments to individuals protected by federal privacy or confidentiality laws.

Assignment for Task Force Members:

• At the June 19 meeting, all Task Force members were asked to review e-transparency models in other states to advise the Task Force on elements and features for Kentucky’s final plan. Members should have their preliminary recommendations to Greg Haskamp by August 5th, at greg.haskamp@ky.gov

The states which were presented at the June 19th meeting are listed below, but members are encouraged to share information and ideas from any other state or governmental subdivision of which they have knowledge:

• Missouri – http://mapyourtaxes.mo.gov/

• Kansas – http://www.kansas.gov/kanview/

• Oklahoma – http://www.ok.gov/okaa/

• Texas – http://www.window.state.tx.us/