Rebooting transparency

by Mark Cavers This article, along with other original stories, first appeared in the Institute’s quarterly magazine, the Compass. The Illinois Policy Institute released a report in November exposing how the state was removing salary information from its designated transparency website. We are happy to announce that the state has returned the information to the portal. The state...

by Mark Cavers

This article, along with other original stories, first appeared in the Institute’s quarterly magazine, the Compass.

The Illinois Policy Institute released a report in November exposing how the state was removing salary information from its designated transparency website. We are happy to announce that the state has returned the information to the portal.

The state launched the Illinois Accountability and Transparency Portal in 2009 to give taxpayers a resource to find all government spending including contracts, agency spending and salaries. State Rep. Mike Tryon of McHenry, the lead sponsor of the effort, said he envisioned the portal as one of the most comprehensive transparency sites in the country; a strong tool that would empower residents with an accurate picture of their government.

Yet, just two years after its launch, the Institute discovered that information was disappearing from the website. Past salary information was being removed without explanation. Tryon was surprised when he spoke with the Institute saying, “salary information from past years was never meant to be taken down. I know, because I wrote the bill.”

But, why would this information go missing?

Central Management Services (CMS), the department responsible for the site, explained to the Institute that it was a “policy decision.” Unfortunately it was one that severely limits access to important information.

Much of the value in expenditure and salary data comes from being able to track trends over multiple years. “One of transparency’s most important benefits comes from viewing historical data so you can see changes over time,” Tryon said. “To see where you’re going, you need to know where you’ve been.” Without this information, residents do not see the whole picture and have a more difficult time holding their elected officials accountable.

Aware of the situation, the Institute produced a report outlining the problem and sat down with Tryon to craft a solution. Once that was accomplished, the Institute began to get the word out. The report appeared in more than 20 news stories across the state including the Northwest Herald, the Illinois Radio Network, which serves more than 50 radio stations, and Illinois Statehouse News, which provides news content to dozens of newspapers statewide.

With pressure building from news media coverage, CMS decided to return the salary information to the transparency website. Today, citizens quickly can view government salaries from 2008 to the present and easily see how pay is rising or falling.

Transparency such as this allows taxpayers to see how their money is being spent, track trends and suggest solutions. Transparency also provides the open door necessary to root out corruption, abuse and government waste. Illinois has a reputation for corruption and abuse by government officials. In December, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to serve 14 years in prison for, among other things, trying to sell a Senate seat. Transparency discourages corruption and helps expose and punish it when it happens. Specifically, this salary data makes it easier to spot favoritism, pay discrepancies and unfair compensation practices.

With the ongoing debate over public employee pay, having easy access to this information is vital. The past year saw the state’s largest union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), sue for its members’ third raise. Also, legislators punted on pension reform and increased overall spending, all while increasing income taxes on families by 67 percent.

Government employee compensation accounts for one-third of the state’s budget, making it a key component of the state’s spending. Taxpayers deserve to have easy access to this information, as they do all government spending, so they can see how salaries have changed over time, determine whether their money is well spent, and hold their elected officials accountable. How can citizens make an informed decision on the merits of raises, such as those for AFSCME employees, without information on past salaries?

Government employee compensation will continue to be a major issue in the coming year. The state still will be in a budget crisis and legislators still will need to deal with a broken pension system. Unfettered, easy access to key data will help everyone involved understand where the state stands. It will help lawmakers and citizens alike devise solutions to improve our future. Transparency helps establish the facts and move the debate away from rhetoric and toward solutions.

Transparency is a key prerequisite for good governance and a prosperous Illinois. “To avoid the mistakes that have gotten us into this mess, we need a clear understanding of our government as it stands today,” said Ted Dabrowski, the Institute’s vice president of policy. “We want Illinois to be No. 1 in economic outlook and job creation. If we are going to get there, we have to know what we are doing, right or wrong, today.”

Transparency opens up government; it lets us see what we are doing wrong. But still it requires that each one of us stay involved and make sure things change. We must take what we learn through transparency and act to hold our elected officials accountable.

Getting this past information back online is an exciting victory, but transparency is only the first step. Transparency can reduce corruption and waste, and give us the data needed to help solve our problems. But, we need to pair transparency with accountability. We must use the information gained through transparency victories to evaluate elected officials and improve our government.

The coming year also is an election year. Every state senator and state representative will be up for re-election. Armed with information provided through transparency, we can better decide how our elected officials are performing. In 2012, we hope you stay active and hold your elected officials accountable. Only with engaged and informed citizens can we turn Illinois around. 

This article first appeared in the Institute’s quarterly magazine, the Compass. Click here to check out the full magazine.