I am pleased to announce my 2024 Government Transparency bill package to provide clarity on how government information is made accessible to the public.
SB 978 will require the Governor’s Office to make the California Budget and related documents machine readable for ease of access. The current Financial Information System of California (FI$Cal) has not been implemented in a way that makes information accessible to the public, so making the budget machine readable and available online is a necessary step to allow taxpayers access to important information.
The purpose of FI$Cal has not been realized since its conception in 2005. It is difficult enough for policy experts to understand the $300 billion budget, let alone the average voter. We owe it to our constituents to present them with the most accurate information we have, and making the budget machine readable will do just that.
SB 986 will require a ballot label for state and local bond measures to include an estimate of the amount of interest that will be due on that bond. Currently, this information is often combined into an annual payment estimate, which combines both principal and interest, blurring how much exactly is being spent on the measure’s objectives and how much the costs actually are.
When asking voters if we can borrow money on their behalf, they should be armed with sufficient information to make an educated decision. That includes being transparent and upfront about the cost of borrowing and what those voters will be paying back, even if it is over an extended period of time. Nobody would enter into a loan agreement without knowing the terms and interest, and the same information should be made clearly available for voters.
Both of these bills will significantly improve information access for California’s taxpayers.
Thank you for this opportunity to be of service.
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