By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Things are becoming a little more transparent at Bucyrus City Hall, at least when it comes to how the city spends its citizens’ tax dollars.
Mayor Jeff Reser will be taking a trip to Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel’s office today to announce the city’s Open Checkbook Ohio website, a government transparency site that allows taxpayers to see how their money is being spent.
“I am excited about Bucyrus being one of the first municipalities in the state to participate in Open Checkbook Ohio. This is a big day for the tax payers of our city who now can have full access to how our tax dollars are spent,” Reser said.
Treasurer Mandel rolled out the Treasurer’s Transparency Project as a way for Ohioans to follow where their tax dollars go and how they are spent. According to Treasurer Mandel’s website, “The goal of this project is to shine a light on the true costs of government, so that taxpayers and their elected representatives can make more informed decisions on state spending.”
Ohio’s Online Checkbook is the first time all state expenditures are available online for citizens.
Reser presented the idea for a local Open Checkbook Ohio website to the Bucyrus City Council Finance Committee in May, believing the program would help improve transparency in government spending. After further investigation, City Auditor Joyce Schifer announced at a June 4 Finance Committee meeting that the city’s software was compatible with state requirements for the program. It comes at no cost to the city.
Residents will be able to visit www.opencheckbookohio.com where links to Bucyrus’ checkbook can be found under Local Governments.