I recently attended a presentation by Cindy Byrd, the Oklahoma State Auditor. While much of the information shared concerned the mess at the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, there were some takeaways that could be applied almost anywhere.
One point she made was there is no such thing as ‘government funded.’ Every program, payment or subsidy is taxpayer funded, because the government only has the money we, the taxpayer, gives it, usually in the form of taxes.
Of course, in Oklahoma, there is the money a municipal utility authority takes in from the sale of a product. This product is electricity and water, and the services of taking away our wastewater and picking up our trash.
Those funds still must be accounted for in a clear and transparent manner, because, as Bird said, “The taxpayers have a right to know what happens to their money.”
In our town, the information is out there, if we can access it. True, the annual budget is posted on the website – after it is approved. The proposed budget has not been so readily available.
How can residents question something they don’t know about? What if Joe Blow public citizen wants to question the wisdom of spending $380,000 on widgets? Or if he wants to know what personnel services means?
That’s where the wicket gets sticky. He can’t ask at the public hearing because the city council members don’t respond to the speakers. He could ask at city hall, but that is probably going to be a dead end.
Sadly, another thing I learned at the same presentation was that this isn’t all that uncommon in the state. It is not unusual for a member of the press or the public, or even the city council, to be required to file an open records request to get simple answers to their questions or access to information even though governments would be better served by communicating openly as time allows.
As Bird put it, “When employees are afraid to share public information, there is a problem with the culture of the agency.”
This level of bureaucracy and secrecy – even when there is nothing to hide – makes everything look suspect. Shady. Sketchy.
So why not knock it off? Take a step into the sunshine of the open flow of information. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, costs very little and makes nearly everyone happier.
A happier staff will produce a ripple effect that may be felt throughout the city government and the entire town, a ripple of trust. That’s the way it should be.