Sometimes a situation has to get really bad before it gets noticed and a number of people work to clean it up. That is apparently what is going on with ethics in New York, as transparency sites are popping up in record numbers. (In case you’re not paying attention, that’s a good thing.)

The newest kid on the block is Open Book New York, a site by state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. It has expanding databases for expenditures for counties, cities, schools, and fire districts as well as state contracts and agency spending.

The one temporary drawback of the site, according to The Daily Messenger, is a lack of recent facts and figures.

Regrettably, local government spending is available only up to 2006. The comptroller’s office said it takes time to finalize budget numbers sent in by municipalities, but hopes to provide newer data at some point. That would be useful. DiNapoli also plans to include local property tax burdens and financial information from local public authorities.

It’s great to have the transparency trifecta of Open Book NY, See Through NY, and Project Sunlight.

Category: sunshine