Increasing government

transparency at the local level

By Richard Eckstrom

A few months ago my office unveiled the state’s first spending transparency Web site for state government. Visitors to the Web site can find detailed spending information for more than 80 state agencies.

Think of this as a sort of online check register. Visitors can see, for example, that in December the Election Commission made seven purchases of office supplies that totaled $3,757, and in October the Department of Mental Health made 45 purchases of copying equipment supplies that totaled $30,183. The Web site, arranged by agency, shows the date and amount of each purchase, the vendor who was paid, and the source of money used for each purchase.

Initially, state agencies were reluctant to provide this information, arguing that gathering it would be too costly. So my staff and I compiled this information and posted it on the Web ourselves. We were surprised to discover that the process wasn’t difficult or expensive. We did this without hiring additional staff and at a relatively low cost.

We’ve also been pleasantly surprised at the level of public interest in our spending transparency Web site. Since its inception, the site has far exceeded 50,000 visits. (In the first month it was available, it had nearly 10,000 visits!)

This spending transparency site has put South Carolina at the forefront of a national transparency movement; several states have contacted us seeking advice, hoping to duplicate our efforts. (We’re one of just a few states to make state spending so easily available to the public.)

In recent months, we’ve expanded the scope of our transparency efforts. We’re now working with local governments -- counties, municipalities and school districts -- to encourage them to voluntarily post their spending details on the Internet. We’re offering to assist any local governments that need help, answer questions they might have and, if necessary, host the information on our own site.

In addition, we’re explaining to local governments the benefits of making this information easily available to anyone via the Internet. Not only is it good government -- increased transparency would ultimately help rebuild trust in government and provide better information to the public -- but there are tangible benefits as well. Providing spending detail on the Internet is likely to greatly reduce the number of written requests for this information, which in turn will greatly reduce staff time and copying costs associated with responding to written requests for information by the public and the media.

Of course, any effort to bring additional sunlight to government is going to meet with some resistance, and our efforts are certainly no exception. Arguments I’ve heard against putting spending details on the Internet include complaints ranging from the cost of gathering the information to what some perceive as a lack of public interest or understanding. In meeting with local governments, I’ve been working to dispel these notions.

But there’s an even more basic reason local governments should disclose the details of their spending on the Internet: It’s not their money they’re spending. It’s your money. You have an absolute right to know how government is spending your money, and you should be provided easy, no-cost access to the details. Period.

Governor sets positive tone for coming year

Regardless of your political philosophy, his message of looking forward is one we all need to hear.

By Richard Eckstrom

Governor Sanford set a positive tone for the coming year with his annual State of the State address.

In his Jan. 14 speech, the Governor sounded some familiar themes, emphasizing the need to reform government, rein in spending and impose greater accountability. He spoke of the need to restructure state government, saying, "It is my hope that these jolting economic times force us to move South Carolina state government into the 21st Century."

The governor renewed his call for fiscal restraint, once again urging spending limits to keep the growth of government from outpacing our ability to pay for it. He made the case for a tax policy he says would improve the business climate in the state and boost the economy.

I was particularly pleased to hear the governor emphasize increased government transparency, an issue near and dear to my own heart. Giving citizens greater access to how decisions are made and how their hard-earned tax dollars are spent is the key to sound governance and to renewing the faith that many people have lost in government.

But the most remarkable part of the address, perhaps, came not in the form of a policy proposal or a good-government reform – but in an appeal to state leaders to lay down their arms, set aside their differences and start fresh. He set "we must look forward" as his first principle for improving the fortunes of South Carolinians. He summoned his audience to move beyond their divisions and work to heal South Carolina.

"Our differences are in the past, and from my perspective, bygones are bygones. All that matters is what we do from this day forward," the governor said, signaling a new era of cooperation may be in store. The State of the State address closed with the story of an Alexandria, Va. High school football team, chronicled in the movie Remember the Titans, in which the merger of several schools into one resulted in a racially charged atmosphere: "Despite what critics had considered impossible, they so ably moved past their differences and found ways to work together that they went 13-0 for the season, and ultimately won the State Championship."

In other words: Yes, stand on principle. Fight for beliefs. But don’t let past disagreements hinder future efforts to make our state a better place. Our differences of opinion certainly pale in comparison to the common bond we share in our desire to move South Carolina forward.

Even in the best of times, the challenges facing South Carolina are great. Today, we also face an economic crisis and a gargantuan budget shortfall. Whether or not you agree with the governor’s specific policy proposals, his message of looking forward and healing divisions is needed more than ever.

Six ways we can ALL help weather this storm

By Richard Eckstrom

No history or economic textbook contains the solution to our current economic troubles. This crisis is complicated, unlike any we’ve ever seen, and perhaps the most far-reaching since the Great Depression.

Amid anxiety about the direction of our country and the quality of our daily lives, state and national leaders are struggling to get our economy back on track. Yet even as their national strategy unfolds, there are many ways we can all help weather this storm, improve our quality of life, and strengthen our communities and nation.

1. Above all, believe in the greatness of America. Wear a confident smile, and offer an encouraging word. Ronald Reagan’s buoyant optimism helped pull America up from the gloomy decline of the 70’s. He helped teach us that hope trumps pessimism. Hope is infectious. Think about our rich heritage as Americans and be thankful for it!

2. Think of your neighbors. Get to know others in the community. Make new friends. If there’s a silver lining to this crisis, perhaps it’s in rediscovering the great American ideal of pulling together during tough times. Those who survived the Great Depression will tell us they found strength in pulling together -- as families, as communitie s, as a nation -- during a dark time. Differences and disagreements can give way to unity and determination. Our differences shrink in comparison to the common bond we share in our love of America.

3. Buy American, and shop locally. Buying American goods reinvests in our country and keeps jobs here. And shopping locally shows support for your community and boosts your local economy. Local businesses sponsor community events and support Little League teams, civic clubs and schools. These, in turn, improve our local quality-of-life and strengthen your community.

4. Donate. Give to the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, or other charities that help the less fortunate. Tough times elevate the plight of those less fortunate. When those who already have what they need help out those who do not, both groups benefit. The entire community benefits when you help the less fortunate.

5. Volunteer. If you can’t contribute financially, contribute your time, effort, and energy to make a difference in your community. Even if your volunteer effort doesn’t seem related to the economy or quality-of-life, it probably is. Volunteerism helps solve local or national problems, and when problems are handled by volunteers instead of government, financial resources are free to be applied where they’re needed most.

6. Get involved in the community. Light a candle rather than curse the darkness. Become more active in your church, your school, or a civic club. Consider public service. Lead. Help guide the community’s future. Now more than ever, we need leaders to encourage and inspire their neighbors and restore confidence.

Sure, times might be tough. But America’s spirit is even tougher. Better days are coming. They always have.

Four common-sense ways to reduce the tax burden

You work hard for your money, and you deserve to keep as much of it as possible.

Too often, however, those with the authority to set budgets and levy taxes forget whose money it is they are spending. Rather than directing existing resources where they are most needed -- infrastructure, public safety, education, etc. -- elected officials spend on things that don’t meet the “necessity test.” They want to “bring home the bacon,” but, of course, the taxpayers pick up the tab for the bacon.

On top of this unlimited desire to spend, some in authority tend to hold a cavalier attitude toward the taxpayer who makes it all possible. From the president-elect’s plans to redistribute your income, to local officials’ pet projects, what’s clear to me is that the taxpayers who provide the tax money to operate government are not always treated with the respect they deserve.

Here are four common-sense steps I believe should be taken to ease the tax burden.

First, and most obviously, is the elimination of unnecessary spending. If you and I sat down together and looked over the state budget, we easily could identify common-sense ways to pare back costs. Some glaring examples are the many festivals, conferences, and other non-essential programs and services which receive state funds yet which certainly aren’t necessary functions of state government.

Secondly, we should be exploring ways to use private funds to offset the cost of government. A few years ago, an idea was floated to sell naming rights to offset construction and other costs. While this proposal met with some skepticism, I appreciated this novel idea for easing the burden on taxpayers. Whenever government officials seek sources of funding other than tax dollars, taxpayers are better off. Perhaps those who propose new spending should be required to first search for other sources of funds before turning to the taxpayers.

Thirdly, greater cooperation among federal, state, and local governments could reduce costs to the taxpayers. There are numerous examples of duplication of services, where similar programs are provided by two or more overlapping governmental sources. Towns operate parks and ball fields just down the road from similar parks and ball fields operated by local recreation districts, counties, or school districts. Citizen pressure for greater coordination among these governments would ensure a more efficient use of tax dollars.

Finally, I’d like to see a mandatory, comprehensive spending plan adopted each year, particularly at the state level. We should restructure our budget process -- agreeing on long-term spending needs and priorities, and then we should use those priorities to determine how to fund essential services and maintain public assets like highways and bridges. By setting priorities, we’ll be more likely to meet the basic needs of the citizens. Then and only then -- perhaps as part of a separate budget process -- should we decide on the funding of non-essential things like parades.

Public service is a noble calling, and should be treated as such. The power to spend other peoples’ money should not be taken lightly. The most important thing any elected official can do is fight to let you keep more of your own money.

In 2009, let's change South Carolina

We all know that the New Year is a time for new beginnings -- an opportunity for fresh starts. Typically we vow to exercise more, eat less, spend fewer hours at the office, acquire new skills or set some other lofty goal.

For those of us in positions of state leadership, perhaps the New Year is also a good time to evaluate the way we do things in Columbia.

The New Year brings huge challenges -- South Carolina’s current budget crisis chief among them. And, of course, we need to deal with our existing problems. Improving our schools, growing our economy, reducing the tax burden, and finding ways to make healthcare more affordable will continue to be top priorities. We’ve been at the bottom in too many areas for too long.

But if we are to truly move our state forward, toward a brighter future, we have to make some long overdue changes -- changes in the structure of state government, in the way we spend public money, and in our philosophy about public service. We’ve got to modernize our 19th Century system of government, bring greater transparency to our policy-making process, and show greater spending discipline.

On the issue of transparency, I’ve been privileged to work alongside a group of reform-minded legislators in the hopes of ushering in a new era of openness and accountability. My efforts have focused on finding new ways to make information on state government’s spending available on the Web, and in the coming months I’ll be working with local governments -- cities, counties and school districts -- to help them do the same. In the legislature, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is working to pull back the curtains of government so that more decisions are made in full view of the citizenry. Let’s hope their efforts meet with success. An open, accountable government is essential for building public trust.

On the issue of restructuring, Gov. Sanford has worked over the past several years to bring needed reforms that would streamline spending, cut back on waste, and strengthen accountability. The governor’s ideas deserve honest consideration and debate. Eliminating the five-member Budget & Control Board -- the central agency that oversees much of state government’s finances -- and replacing it with an agency under the control of the governor would be a good first step toward improving accountability.

Lessons from the immediate past teach us that state government must reform the way it spends. During prosperous economic times, there’s been the tendency to spend every bit of revenue that comes in. As a fiscal conservative, I’ve always cautioned against this practice. My father taught me to be more careful than that.

When the economy turns downward (as it does from time to time), state government takes in less revenue and can’t support itself at the expanded size it grows during better economic times. As a result, since state government’s current fiscal year started in July we’ve had to make three “mid-year budget cuts.” That’s no way to run any organization. We simply must show greater restraint so that the growth of government never again so seriously outpaces our ability to pay for it.

These aren’t radical changes. Many will recognize them as simple common sense. But in my opinion, they’re badly needed if we’re to truly move our state forward.

Let’s resolve to make 2009 the year we change South Carolina.