Tuesday, May 23, 2023
A Call For Greater Transparency and Accountability in Government
Today, I took a stand for increased transparency and accountability in government in advocating for my budget amendment, 116, Quasi-public Agencies. This budget amendment would require quasi-public agencies to publicly disclose their payroll data, a practice that many state agencies already provide. My amendment would eliminate an "area of secrecy" and bring much-needed transparency to government operations.
The proposal aimed to mandate quasi-public agencies submit their payrolls for public posting on the state comptroller's CTHRU website, enhancing access to vital spending data. This has been an ongoing concern. Back in 2010, a report by the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) highlighted the need for greater openness in the spending data of 42 quasi-public agencies. Currently, 19 of these agencies voluntarily participate in the state's "open checkbook" website, CTHRU, although some have not provided updated data in years. Unfortunately, the Senate rejected the amendment through a voice vote, missing an opportunity to advance transparency in government operations.
