The State of Texas is making open government a priority:

Texas this month joined a handful of states and the federal government in posting detailed financial information on the Internet. Anyone with strong eyeballs and an investigative spirit now can search for pork or find out if their neighbor’s business sells widgets to the state.

The “Where The Money Goes” feature on the comptroller’s Web site — at www.window.state.tx.us — is the result of legislation by a group of thirtysomething, tech-savvy lawmakers.

Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, a technology consultant who founded the first company to register voters online, wrote the bill that required the online database.

He modeled it after federal legislation passed last year. Texas joins Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Hawaii and Missouri in setting up searchable spending sites.

State Rep. Jill Chambers proposed similar legislation that would have applied to the executive branch of state government, it was vetoed by Sonny Perdue.

And…despite the hard time we give Glenn Richardson, he is promising to implement zero-based budgeting next year and he should be given credit for that.

If you ever get a chance to read the state budget in each section you will see one word…”continuation.” The legislature renews a budget each year with really knowing what they are spending it on. Even the Speaker acknowledges that “[he doesn’t] know what we’re going to find.”

Another thing the legislature should do is require the legislator asking for a Local Assistance Grant to put his name next to the earmark in order to provide some sort of transparency and open government to the citizens of this state.

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