Each year, millions of dollars flow from state coffers to fund capital and transportation projects in every single county. These projects create jobs while improving the infrastructure of Washington’s communities. But these public investments aren’t always easily visible to the public, and one legislator is seeking to change that.
Rep. Marcus Riccelli (D – Spokane), has introduced legislation to increase transparency for taxpayers and ensure government accountability in how state dollars are spent. His bill, HB 1733, would increase the public’s access to state budget data online by requiring a one-stop location for the information and simple, user-friendly navigation.
“Government needs to do a better job of showing people where their tax dollars are going,” Riccelli said. “Our state is a leader in technology, but our online transparency lags behind what other states are already doing. We can fix that with this bill.”
Riccelli’s vision is for an online equivalent of the “It’s Your Nickel, Watch it Work,” or American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signage often present at construction sites around the state. The public would be able to view an online map with projects listed by county and legislative district, including the amount of state money allocated for each project. Because most of the data is already available online and just needs to be more organized and transparent, the upgrade can be accomplished within existing state revenues.
The bill has attracted bipartisan support in the state House.
“We live in an age where information is readily available, and that’s what the public expects,” Riccelli said. “More transparency is a good thing.”