Blog Archives
Transparency is about to become reality in Virginia
Today, both the House and the Senate voted on transparency legislation that will soon bring accountability in government spending in Richmond. Both SB936, which was patroned by Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (R-Centreville) and HB2285, which was patroned by Del. Ben Cline (R-Buena Vista) were voted in each chamber.
With transparency, we can monitor the spending our State Government makes and call attention to those expenditures that are wasteful. Now, we officially have some sunlight in Virginia.
Transparency in Fairfax County
Right now, as the General Assembly debates transparency for the state, there is also a push for transparency in Fairfax County. Springfield Supervisor Pat Herrity, who ran a hard fought race for Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, is leading the fight for transparency at the local level. Herrity ran his campaign on the issue and realizes the true importance of having a searchable database, where people can see how much the County is spending on services and how much is allocated within the budget.
Transparency is a hot ticket issue, especially in large, suburban counties like Fairfax, where it seems like every year comes with a new property tax increase. This is the first step towards fiscal accountability. If a taxpayer searches the database and notices that the company is spending $X with this contractor, then they are able to question this at an open county hearing with their Supervisor. In this budget crisis, we need fiscally sound principles more now than ever.
