Spending in the Sunshine

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

Spending in the Sunshine is a financial transparency program created by the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller that goes above and beyond what is required by law. It is centered on the public’s right to open government. The program was designed to provide easy access to the public on expenditures processed within Pinellas government. Financial transactions cover everything from vendor invoice payments to the salaries of every Pinellas County government employee. Typically, this type of information is difficult to obtain for many reasons, thereby making a specific public records request both challenging and perhaps more costly. The program is deeply rooted in the notion that the public should not have to ask for such information. As elected officials and records custodians, there is an obligation to make public records available without impediments. With this program, information is just a click away in the Clerk’s webpage through a menu tab titled “Spending in the Sunshine.” Since its official release date of March 17, 2014, the program has been well received by the public garnering over 600 site hits. It has also been the subject of the Tampa Bay Times editorial published on March 14, 2014 in which it commented that “other local governments and the state should follow Burke’s lead and make it easier for anyone with a good Internet connection and the click of a mouse to follow the money.”