Transparency Defined

According to www.Viewpoint.tscpa, the Texas Comptroller is tightening the belt on governmental entities, requiring more “transparency”.

Texas Comptroller, Susan Combs defines transparency as:
You pay for your government, and you deserve to know how it spends your money.

“Transparency is a broad term that, quite literally, means something that can be seen through. When we [the state] talk about transparency in terms of government spending, we are referring to government opening its books to the public so that taxpayers can see exactly where their money is going. Transparency ensures that your taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently by making all decisions in the open and on the record. Transparency means that citizens can review and question policymakers’ decisions, examine documents, root out inefficiencies and hold officials accountable for the way tax dollars are spent. In our Texas Transparency Check-Up, we’re tracking just how transparent local governments, school districts and other entities across the state are with your hard-earned dollars. In our determination, a government entity is meeting a high standard for transparency if it:
1. Opens its books to the public, providing clear, consistent pictures of spending

2. Provides information in an easily accessible, user-friendly format

3. Lets taxpayers easily drill down for more detailed information”

Does this terminology sound familiar? Transparency and accountability: not only in government but in tax-exempt organizations and the private and public sectors.

Is your board having trouble with transparency? Call us.