Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo is seeking more transparency in county government by introducing a local law that would make certain information more accessible to the public. The Tax Dollar Disclosure Act would allow easy access to taxpayers seeking details on how the county is spending their tax dollars and what performance results are achieved for those expenditures.
“We often hear from the public about their distrust in government. One of the reasons for that is they don’t have access to very basic information. Taxpayers have a right to know how the government is spending their money, what agencies and organizations who are recipients of public dollars do with those funds, and how various committees and government entities determine who receives these allocations,” said Legislator Lorigo.
The measure directs the Erie County Comptroller to create and maintain a searchable budget database website which details where, for what purpose and what results are achieved for all taxpayer investments in county government. Those agencies include a county department, division, office, bureau, board, commission, committee, or unit. This includes individual county agencies, programs, and activities that cross agency lines. All elective offices in Erie County government would be considered county agencies. The public would also be able to gain access to any audit or report issued by the state, county legislature, legislative committee, comptroller or executive body relating to an entity that receives public funds. The law would require the Erie County Comptroller to establish the searchable budget database website by October 1, 2024 and provide guidance to agency heads to ensure compliance.
“Government is supposed to operate by and for the people. They have every right to know how their tax dollars are spent, and the government has every obligation to operate as transparently as possible. This law goes a long way to ensuring the public has access to the information they’re entitled,” concluded Legislator Lorigo.
The Tax Dollar Disclosure Act was formally clocked in to the Erie County Legislature today, April 30, 2024. If passed by the full body, the local law would take effect on October 1, 2024.
