“What are they hiding?” could be a thing of the past- Revealing State Employee Names
to be included in Budget Transparency Bill
SB 195/a – Sunshine Portal Transparency Act- Senator Sander Rue, Passes Senate 38 to 0.
Santa Fe- “What are they hiding?” could be a thing of the past in state government. The names of state employee are to be easily accessible to the public on a state budget transparency website in a bill that unanimously passed the State Senate today. That public information is not being released by the current administration, prompting the public to ask, “What are they hiding?”
The sponsor of the amendment to include state employee names on a new internet website said it is critical to know who are the people who run state government. The names are to be included in a new website to provide clear, public friendly information for the public and taxpayers about the state’s budget.
“This will remove the veil of suspicion. For good government and transparency, it is important to know if public employees are big- time donors or are related to the person who hires them,” Senator John Ryan said. Ryan, who sponsored the amendment said now it is impossible to get this public information from the current administration and the public is suspicious about why this public information is not being given out. What are they hiding? It is vital this information be included in a government transparency bill.”
The full senate agreed when it passed Senator Ryan’s amendment unanimously.
SB 195 creates a “sunshine portal”, a single internet website freely accessible to the public within the Office of Information Technology.
-more-
The sponsor of the bill, Senator Sander Rue, said a minimum of 15 items of information would be available on the website.
Senator Sander Rue’s bill directs the development and maintenance of a searchable, publicly accessible database on the internet that displays New Mexico’s budget, expenditures and other financial information like contracts on the state’s webpage for each year beginning no later than July 1, 2011. The website would provide interested parties access to such things as: how state government agencies spend their revenues, costs of state employees, what loans the state board of finance makes and what capital projects the legislature funds.
The budget information is to be posted each year within 45 days following the adoption of the general appropriations bill and includes all state and federal money.
“My constituents are demanding that they want to know how our state got in such a financial mess. Last year we faced a billion dollar shortfall and this year we are facing nearly the same thing. They want transparency in state government, they want to be able to see the state’s budget in a clear and easily understood format on the web. My bill gives it to them,” Senator Rue said.
Senator Rue said with today’s technology it can happen if the governor and the legislators have the determination to do it this year.
to be included in Budget Transparency Bill
SB 195/a – Sunshine Portal Transparency Act- Senator Sander Rue, Passes Senate 38 to 0.
Santa Fe- “What are they hiding?” could be a thing of the past in state government. The names of state employee are to be easily accessible to the public on a state budget transparency website in a bill that unanimously passed the State Senate today. That public information is not being released by the current administration, prompting the public to ask, “What are they hiding?”
The sponsor of the amendment to include state employee names on a new internet website said it is critical to know who are the people who run state government. The names are to be included in a new website to provide clear, public friendly information for the public and taxpayers about the state’s budget.
“This will remove the veil of suspicion. For good government and transparency, it is important to know if public employees are big- time donors or are related to the person who hires them,” Senator John Ryan said. Ryan, who sponsored the amendment said now it is impossible to get this public information from the current administration and the public is suspicious about why this public information is not being given out. What are they hiding? It is vital this information be included in a government transparency bill.”
The full senate agreed when it passed Senator Ryan’s amendment unanimously.
SB 195 creates a “sunshine portal”, a single internet website freely accessible to the public within the Office of Information Technology.
-more-
The sponsor of the bill, Senator Sander Rue, said a minimum of 15 items of information would be available on the website.
Senator Sander Rue’s bill directs the development and maintenance of a searchable, publicly accessible database on the internet that displays New Mexico’s budget, expenditures and other financial information like contracts on the state’s webpage for each year beginning no later than July 1, 2011. The website would provide interested parties access to such things as: how state government agencies spend their revenues, costs of state employees, what loans the state board of finance makes and what capital projects the legislature funds.
The budget information is to be posted each year within 45 days following the adoption of the general appropriations bill and includes all state and federal money.
“My constituents are demanding that they want to know how our state got in such a financial mess. Last year we faced a billion dollar shortfall and this year we are facing nearly the same thing. They want transparency in state government, they want to be able to see the state’s budget in a clear and easily understood format on the web. My bill gives it to them,” Senator Rue said.
Senator Rue said with today’s technology it can happen if the governor and the legislators have the determination to do it this year.
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