Conservatively Speaking

The Wisconsin Taxpayer Alliance reports the average tax paid in Wisconsin in 2006 was $2,716. Wouldn’t you like to know where your tax dollars go and how they’re spent?

It’s time for Wisconsin to adopt a policy of transparency in government spending. Simply put, transparency in government spending is a concept that calls for the creation of websites that detail government spending in a clear manner that taxpayers can find easily and understand.

The inspiration for states like Wisconsin to develop user-friendly online databases of government spending for taxpayers to track comes from the federal government. President Bush signed the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act into law in September 2006. The bipartisan legislation requires all federal grant and contract funding data be included in a free, searchable website to be completed in 2009.

Of course, state and local governments also appropriate huge amounts of grants and contracts, not to mention a host of other expenditures. Some states have taken the federal lead and are passing or considering new laws to allow taxpayers to become watchdogs by tracking government spending on the Internet. They’ve even gone beyond the federal example by requiring the posting of more data, including grants, loans, labor contracts, financial assistance, agency and office appropriations, and expenditures made with government purchase cards.

Wisconsin needs to get involved in the Google-government trend, a movement that has tremendous benefits for taxpayers. A one-stop Internet clearinghouse would throw a laser beam on government spending, the increased focus having great potential for significant savings. Creating a system that’s easy to use and understand eliminates taxpayer frustration and reduces the perception of abuse.

It stands to reason that this concept could also be applied to school districts, counties, cities, and other units of local government. Imagine being able to go to one simple website to find out how your government is spending your money. Wisconsinites bear one of the heaviest tax burdens in the country and deserve to know where each dollar is going.

One of the leaders in this movement is from the state of Texas, Governor Rick Perry. Ultimately, I agree with Governor Perry who sums up the transparency in government concept this way: “If the taxpayers are picking up the bill, they ought to be able to look at every item on the receipt.”

Government transparency is just one of the innovative ideas states are considering to fight runaway taxes and spending. Several states have proposed a Tax Me More Fund. The fund is a direct counter to tax-and –spend advocates who always argue that they are not paying enough in taxes. The idea is that taxpayers would make voluntary contributions. The fact that 13 states have proposed the Tax Me More Fund, but none have approved it demonstrates the hypocrisy of those who support higher taxes.

Many states utilize ballot measures called initiatives and referenda. Initiatives are used when citizens collect signatures in order to place legislation on the ballot. Referenda are used by citizens to maintain the right to reject laws or amendments that the state legislature proposes.

North Carolina Americans for Tax Reform produced a series of Least Wanted posters depicting legislators supporting big tax hikes. Many states continue to explore constitutional limits on taxing and spending.

State governments have become creative labs for new and innovative means of tracking, evaluating, and curtailing wasteful spending. These intuitive and insightful projects are proof that citizens remain fiscal watchdogs and the taxpayer revolt is still alive and well.