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The State of Ohio Checkbook is a game-changer for transparency in government spending. It provides a detailed breakdown of how Ohio's tax dollars are being spent.
The Checkbook website contains over 250,000 transactions, totaling over $300 billion in spending since 2011. This is a staggering amount of data that can be explored in various ways.
Ohioans can search the Checkbook by agency, department, or even individual employee, making it easy to track where their tax dollars are going. This level of transparency is unprecedented in government spending.
The Checkbook has also led to significant cost savings for the state, with some agencies reducing their spending by as much as 20% after being made aware of areas for improvement.
What Is It?
The Ohio Checkbook is a public online resource for information on local and state finances.
It provides access to government spending, transactional data, revenue allocation, salary data, and other financial data.
The Ohio Checkbook is a combination of the original Checkbook and Ohio Interactive Budget (OIB), updated as of November 2019.
This consolidation was made to promote efficiency and make it easier for Ohioans to access all financial data in one place.
The data available in the Checkbook includes government spending by function, year-to-year state revenue, state contracts, state employee salaries, and more.
Users can search the data specifically, making it easy to find the information they need.
The Ohio Checkbook is updated every day with real-time transactions reported through the previous business day.
Government Partners and Local Governments
The Ohio Treasurer's office has a range of services to assist local governments across the Buckeye State. These services are designed to help local governments manage their finances effectively.
Local government fiscal officers are required by Ohio law to receive continuing education related to investing and managing public finances. This is where CPIM comes in, offering conferences and online courses to help officials stay on top of the latest trends in public finance.
The Ohio Checkbook is an interactive online platform that provides users with a window into government spending at both the state and local levels. This is a result of collaboration between the Ohio Treasurer's office and the Office of Budget and Management.
The Ohio Market Access Program (OMAP) is a credit enhancement program that leverages the state's excess liquidity and high short-term credit rating to help improve market access and lower borrowing rates for local governments.
Local governments can also invest in high-grade, short-term securities through the State Treasury Asset Reserve of Ohio (STAR Ohio). This investment fund offers safety, penalty-free liquidity, and comparatively higher yields.
In addition to STAR Ohio, eligible government subdivisions can also invest through STAR SMA (State Treasury Asset Reserve Separately Managed Accounts). This investment option is administered by the Treasurer's office.
The ResultsOHIO fund supports pay for success initiatives driven by state and local policymakers to tackle Ohio's most pressing public policy issues. This funding mechanism allows Ohio to answer public sector problems with private sector solutions.
Taxpayers' Budgets Now Online
Ohioans can now see exactly how their tax dollars are being spent with the Ohio Checkbook, an online database that provides detailed information on state spending.
The Ohio Checkbook contains over 250 million dollars in state expenditures, making it one of the most comprehensive transparency initiatives in the country.
Ohioans can search for specific state agencies, programs, and vendors to see where their tax money is going.
The Ohio Checkbook is updated quarterly, ensuring that the information is always current and accurate.
This level of transparency is a game-changer for taxpayers, allowing them to make informed decisions about their government.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the treasurer of the state of Ohio?
The Treasurer of the state of Ohio is Robert Sprague, serving as the 49th Treasurer of State. He oversees the state's investments, cash flows, and certain funds as the chief investment officer and custodian.
Sources
- https://impactohio.org/the-ohio-checkbook-what-is-it-really/
- https://tos.ohio.gov/government/
- https://opengov.com/article/article-ohio-checkbooks-open-gov/
- https://www.cagw.org/thewastewatcher/ohio-checkbook-shows-how-transparency-supposed-work
- https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2020/07/03/new-look-checkbook-site-shows-taxpayers-their-state-local-budgets/
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