Increase Transparency So You Know Where Every Dollar Is Spent

Taxpayers deserve to know exactly where their tax dollars are being spent.

As Comptroller, I will dig into where all the state’s money is going and shine a light on it for the public. You will be able to see exactly where your tax dollars are being spent. Where there’s fraud, we’ll root it out. Where there’s overspending, we’ll shine a spotlight on it. And where money is being spent wisely and effectively, we’ll highlight and celebrate that.

Illinoisans deserve this level of transparency.

To be fair, the state has made tremendous strides in transparency under the last three Comptrollers, Republicans and Democrats. The state’s revenues and expenditures are all posted online. However, because the state’s finances and the Comptroller’s office have grown infinitely more complex over the past decade, it is increasingly difficult for everyday Illinoisans to access this massive database and understand what they are looking at. Taxpayers are being overwhelmed with data from a $55 billion budget, which buries and hides things that maybe politicians don’t want them to see.

True transparency is accessible and understandable. You shouldn’t have to dig around for 20-30 minutes to find the information you’re looking for. It should be right at your fingertips.

My Comptroller’s office will present the data in an easily understandable way that’s user-friendly. We will explain how much is spent on things, why that money is being spent, and whether it’s a good deal or bad deal for taxpayers. And we will support civic organizations, media outlets, and citizen watchdogs who are working to hold government accountable for how they spend our money.

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