New Portal Provides Missourians with a Map of Their Tax Dollars

by Brian L. Baker

President Ronald Reagan once said, "Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other."

I am happy to say that Missouri has taken a step forward in responsibility.

Recently Gov. Matt Blunt signed an executive order launching the Missouri Accountability Portal (MAP), a free, Internet-based tool that provides easy to use data about state spending. The new site will help ensure that state government is accountable to its citizens.

It is imperative that Missouri government and elected leaders increase communication to citizens and remain an "open book" to the people. These tax-dollars belong to the people of our state. We can use technology to allow Missourians to better see how their tax dollars are being used. Whether it is increasing funds to education or important investments in our state’s future, the Missouri Accountability Portal will provide Missourians with up-to-date information to track the use of their tax dollars.

The Missouri Accountability Portal creates transparency and is one of the first comprehensive searchable databases of financial records based on real-time data in the nation. The portal, as its acronym MAP implies, provides citizens a map to their tax dollars.

The MAP site was established within existing state resources and is updated at the close of each business day to provide up-to-date access to information about state spending, allowing citizens to demand fiscal discipline and responsibility. Users can search the MAP site by budget category, vendor or contract. Links to other public information maintained by the state are also available on the MAP site. In addition, state employees’ salaries will be listed in a searchable database beginning January 1, 2008.

Governor Blunt launched the site as part of his ongoing efforts to capitalize on emerging technologies to improve state services and provide more information to Missouri’s citizens. Earlier this year Missouri unveiled the Missouri Business Portal, a one-stop-shop that connects small business owners with state government resources based on their inquiries and interests.

I applaud the Governor for making state information and state spending facts more available and accessible to the public. We must always remember we are a government of the people and by the people. It is our duty to make sure the people are informed...and have access to information.

I encourage Missourians to visit the MAP site at http://mapyourtaxes.mo.gov. A link to the MAP site can also be found on the governor’s Internet site at http://gov.missouri.gov/index.htm.