For Immediate Release- February 11th, 2008
Contact: Duane Sand, 605-332-2848

PIERRE - Today the House Committee on State Affairs passed out of committee House Bill 1233, which would establish a searchable online database for detailed searches of state spending. Such a system would allow taxpayers to keep an eye on how state government is spending the public's money.

"This is the first step in allowing the average citizen the kind of complete access needed to really know how state government agencies are spending our money. It's the right of all South Dakotans to know how their tax dollars are being spent. The online database is the first step in making that right a reality" said Duane Sand, State Director of Americans for Prosperity.

Currently, South Dakota law does not give citizens the right to see exactly how government agencies are spending their tax dollars. For example, the South Dakota Board of Regents has denied requests from other taxpayer watchdog groups for a line by line budget. Sand went on to say that, "it's unconscionable

Opponents of this legislation, including state government agencies, have tried to say it will cost too much to implement, but that is simply not true. For example the following no cost and low costs solutions have been taking place in states around the country:

States like Alaska have implemented zero-cost systems that utilize pre-existing state government resources already available to convert existing accounting data to a format that is user friendly.

Gov. Blunt of Missouri created the Missouri Accountability portal within existing staff and revenues.

Oklahoma's fiscal note estimated a cost of $40,000 for website development and programming. Future costs to fully implement the website as originally conceived were calculated at $245,000-$260,000. The actual cost to build the website (which will still be improved) was: staff time and $8,000 to pay for the software.

Companies like Google and Microsoft have offered to partner with states in their endeavours to make government spending information more accessible, helping to further defray cost.

Sand went on to note that state government agencies can use information acquired through transparency efforts to drive efficiency and cost savings. "Especially in a period of time with tight government budgets, state government officials should want to do everything possible to drive government savings and increase system-wide efficiencies."

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation's premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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