MANSFIELD, Ohio — Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel commended Mansfield City Finance Director Linn Steward Friday for her part in making the city’s finances visible to the public through OhioCheckbook.com.
“I’m so glad that the Mansfield city leaders are putting the finances online. I believe strongly that the taxpayers have a right to know how the tax money is spent,” said Mandel.
According to a press release, “Mansfield citizens are now able “to view over 12,000 individual checks representing more than $31 million of total spending over the past fiscal year.”
“Working with his (Mandel’s) staff has been wonderful. As Finance Director I feel like one of my greatest responsibilities to our taxpayer is being able to report how the tax dollars are being spent,” Steward said at the press conference.
Mandel sent a letter to local governments and school officials in April 2015 that requested they partner in the initiative. In the letter, Mandel writes “We intend to host, post and display your local government’s checkbook-level spending on OhioCheckbook.com at no cost to your local government.”
The letter went out to 3,962 local governments in Ohio. As of Friday, Mandel said nearly 350 entities have joined the initiative.
The press release states Mansfield was the 120th entity in Ohio to join the initiative in recording their finances on OhioCheckbook.com. Mansfield was the second government entity in Richland County to join, following Madison Township, said Mandel.
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group released a report in March that had Ohio ranking number one in transparency for government spending data. The prominent status, which moved from 46th in the country, was attributed to Mandel’s launch of OhioCheckbook.com, said the press release.
During the press conference, Mandel said he would use Mansfield’s example as leverage for applying “friendly pressure” on other public entities, like Richland County’s Auditor, Patrick Dropsey.
“I learned today that the county auditor here in Richland County is dragging his feet, he doesn’t want to do this. I’m going to call him. And I’m going to say ‘listen, if the city of Mansfield could put their finances online, then you at the county can put your finances online as well,’” said Mandel.
“We’re already online,” Dropsey said in a phone interview. “There’s no sense in doing that if I already have it on our website. As long as there are no hiccups, why take a chance on more cost down the road? That’s the way the state works — it’s not going be for free forever.”
Dropsey said his office has published a yearly report of their finances since 1992. Digital reports are available for download on their website, dating back to 2002.
“Every year, we’ve received a certificate of excellence from GFOA for doing the financial report,” said Dropsey, referencing the Government Finance Officers Association.
“When people want to promote themselves, they promise people things they cant keep. They cant keep the promise that it’s going to be free,” he said. “Plus, they got someone from California to do it. I’d rather see Ohio money help Ohio.”
OhioCheckbook.com is a website managed by OpenGov, a company based in Redwood City, California.
