Wisconsin: Another Big Transparency #Fail

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 10:36 AM

News from Wisconsin this week offers little hope for taxpayers who have been hoping for transparency in the Badger State for years. On the heels of a local newspaper’s investigation into the state’s contract database (a term we’ll use loosely, since the site is neither a database nor does it list many contracts) the Joint Legislative Audit Committee has announced it will conduct an audit of the Department of Administration’s Contract Sunshine site, which agencies have largely ignored since its creation by legislation in 2005.

While this may seem like good news, it is, in fact, a farce that gives lawmakers political cover without enacting true transparency reform. Instead of actually passing effective legislation to ensure taxpayers can track state spending, the Democrat-controlled legislature is complacent with ordering a toothless audit of an agency that has little authority to mandate other agencies submit contract information. The legislature, along with the governor, have the authority to order stronger reporting requirements for agencies to ensure the contract database fulfills its intended purpose. So far, neither has shown any interest in making this commonsense and tangible step towards greater transparency.

Lawmakers should get serious about opening up the state’s finances to taxpayers. The Badger State, in the red for a projected $2.5 billion this year, is also one of the highest taxed states in the nation. The lack of political will to rein in spending, coupled with exceedingly onerous tax regimes, makes Wisconsin the perfect candidate for a transparency overhaul that could produce real savings and put the state back on the road to fiscal restraint. Lacking the courage to put their outlandish spending to the test of sunshine, lawmakers are now hiding behind an audit instead of enacting real spending transparency reform. If you’re paying taxes in the Badger State, contact your representative and tell them to pass coherent transparency legislation that will put all state spending online.

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