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Federal and State Government Transparency
President Bush signed into law the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act in 2006, which created an online, searchable database of expenditures that essentially allows citizens to "Google” their federal tax dollars to determine how they are spent. In 2009, Illinois passed the Transparency and Accountability Portal Act that requires the State to report state contracts and spending on an online database.
DuPage Township Government Non-Transparency
DuPage Township has been slow in implementing its own transparency regarding how tax dollars are spent. During the recession, elected officials of DuPage Township have made difficult decisions regarding Township programs, personnel and taxes, but the Township website has provided no information regarding these decisions. Residents have been left in the dark.
In an attempt to begin the process toward transparency, Township officials were asked by those attending last year’s DuPage Township annual meeting (April 13, 2010) to include meeting agendas and minutes and the Township’s audited financial statements on the Township website. Supervisor Bill Mayer then indicated, “This suggestion would be considered by the Board.”
A year has since passed. Meeting agendas and minutes and audited financial statements still are not listed on the website. DuPage Township residents continue to not be informed regarding decisions that are made by their elected officials. Consequently, a request for the posting of the information requested in 2010 was again made at this year’s annual Township meeting (April 12, 2011). This time, Supervisor Mayer informed those in attendance that the Township was considering making changes to the Township website. What these changes will be and when they will be made were not offered.
Supervisor Mayer reported in the Spring 2011 issue of the DuPage Township newsletter that “Operating DuPage Township and offering these services (the ones that the Township provides) are complex tasks.” Perhaps if information regarding the workings of the Township were shared with its residents, residents could participate in their Township government, offer suggestions regarding services and taxes and make the process less complex.
The time for DuPage Township government transparency is now.
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