Drafter
Clerk 06/04/2008
Title
A MOTION requesting the county executive to prepare report formats on public transparency in county revenues, expenditures and performance.
Body
WHEREAS, government exists to serve its citizens, and
WHEREAS, citizens have the right to understand how well their government operates and if their tax dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively, and
WHEREAS, governments have the responsibility to provide that information in an easily understandable and accessible way, and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of King County to make county revenue, expenditure and performance information as open, transparent and publicly accessible as is feasible. Increasing the ease of public access to county budget and actual data, particularly where the data are currently available from disparate internal county governmental sources but are difficult for the public to collect and efficiently aggregate, significantly contributes to governmental accountability, public participation, agency efficiency and open government, and
WHEREAS, the Advancing Government Accountability's Citizen-Centric Government Reporting Initiative provides guidelines for government to report to their citizens how well their government operates and if their tax dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively, and
WHEREAS, the Government Finance Officers Association's Popular Annual Financial Reporting Awards Program provides guidelines for government to report to its citizens on its financial statements;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The county executive is requested to prepare the format for an annual "King County scorecard" and to transmit the report format to the council for its review by motion by July 1, 2008. The report should meet the following criteria:
1. No longer than four pages;
2. Visually appealing;
3. Includes priorities of King County government;
4. Understandable information is presented...
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