Salt Lake City, UT – A bill supported by the Sutherland Institute would add a new dimension of accountability for the State of Utah by requiring that government financial information be published online.  SB 38: Transparency in Government Finance is good public policy that serves as a quality system of checks and balances.

“History shows us that a free and prosperous Utah requires an informed public and a government committed to act in an ethical and principled manner,” said Lyall J. Swim, director of operations for Sutherland and member of its policy committee.  “SB 38 is an important piece of legislation that statutorily gives citizens the information to function effectively as a government watchdog by shining a bright light on the spending activity of our state and local governments.”

The government website created by SB 38 would allow the public to search all types of financial information by fiscal year, expenditure type, name of agency, payee, date, and/or amount.  While the web site will be administered by the Division of Finance, the Utah Transparency Advisory Board – also a byproduct of the bill – will advise, make recommendations, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of providing this information on the Internet.

“We all know information is power,” said bill sponsor, Senator Wayne Niederhauser.  “As President James Madison said, ‘A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps both.’  It is my hope in Utah that our knowledge will govern our ignorance and I strongly believe this bill is the right step in that regard.”

Currently, there are transparency websites related to government spending already in place or in process in 21 states.

# # #

SB 38 is one of several pieces of legislation the Sutherland Institute is supporting in the 2008 legislative session in its efforts to promote freedom and make Utah a better and safer place for parents and families.  For more information on Sutherland’s legislative priorities, go to our "Legislation" page. The Sutherland Institute is a conservative public policy think tank committed to shaping Utah law and policy based on a core set of governing principles.  All of Sutherland’s policy priorities are grounded in its governing principles.