South Carolina’s New Spending Transparency Website

This blog has often pointed out that well-funded, special interests in our state often have their way with policy, budgets, taxes, and spending, while the best interests of “we the people” can sometimes be overlooked. Sound fiscal management, balanced budgets, and even ensuring that jobs in South Carolina are only filled by those legally entitled to work here, shouldn’t be controversial or partisan issues. Unfortunately, some legislators know that we as private citizens are not organized, do not have highly-paid lobbyists in Columbia and Washington working for us, and are often too busy earning a living and looking after our families to pay attention to their mischief, or to even notice whose interests they are serving.

To help citizens oversee what government is doing, and to make it easier for each of us to hold our government officials accountable, I am very pleased to announce a new website that Governor Sanford and I have created that will provide a greater degree of information about how our tax dollars are being used.

Our new spending transparency initiative, available by clicking the flashing link at www.cg.sc.gov, contains information provided by my office on all funds expended by state agencies. This information covers travel expenditures, purchases of office supplies over $100, and spending for contracts over $100. The information is reported by agency, and it will be updated monthly.

Because it is budget time again in Columbia, the need for more transparency and accountability could not be clearer. For example, some in the Legislature have proposed borrowing $100 million from our Medicaid program’s reserve fund. Instead of saving that money for economic down times when revenues are low and demand for Medicaid services are high, some of our legislators have decided they want spend that money on non-essential projects in their districts.

As Governor Sanford has pointed out, “revenue growth is essentially flat, and the state is dealing with a $270 million budget hole created by budget writers paying for ongoing expenses with one-time money last year.” Yet our legislators are digging an even deeper hole of debt for hard working taxpayers to fill by adding another $179 million this year in one-time money to pay for ongoing expenses. This is being done at the very time when it appears our nation is about to experience a serious economic downturn. This habit of ignoring our day of financial reckoning guarantees that South Carolina’s budget crisis will be even more painful next year and in future years.

I’ve been working to open the curtains on government spending since I came into office because taxpayers have a right to know how their tax money is being spent. We’ll keep working to make this information even easier to access and as always, I would welcome your suggestions as to how we can make government finances even more transparent. If we all work together, vote responsibly, and hold our representatives accountable, we can build a more prosperous South Carolina, with a sound economy and greater opportunity for our children and grandchildren.

It’s your money being spent. And you have every right to know how it’s being spent. Please let me know whether you find this new web-based information helpful.