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Herald Editorial Board

Bob Bolerjack,
Opinion Editor
bolerjack@heraldnet.com

Carol MacPherson,
Editorial Writer
cmacpherson@
heraldnet.com


Allen Funk,
Herald Publisher
funk@heraldnet.com

Kim Heltne,
Assistant to the Publisher
heltne@heraldnet.com

Send letters to the editor by e-mail to letters@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-339-3458 or mail to The Herald - Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

 
WEEK IN REVIEW
Wednesday
Student hit in crosswalk to return
81 veterans' names, 81 meaningful lives honored...
USO singer's voice still charms them in Edmonds
Tuesday


Fire destroys Emory's restaurant
Peggy Pritchard Olson always put Edmonds first
Camano Island burglaries spike: Is Colton back?
Monday


Tree clearing, mud slide angers Everett neighbor
Later start for school day unlikely in Marysville
Hopes for Snohomish excursion train may hinge o...
Sunday


Glacier Peak freshman overcomes jitters to win ...
Gay marriage issue can wait, say Referendum 71 ...
Cities across south Snohomish County see tax re...
Saturday


Thousands honor slain Seattle police officer Ti...
Suspect identified in Seattle police killing
Mountlake Terrace thrilled by high school's fir...
Friday


Officer Timothy Brenton. Gone, but not forgotten
Person sought in officer's killing is shot in head
Thousands to pay respects to slain Seattle poli...
Thursday


Tale of 1916 Everett Massacre retold in style o...
Reservist survived Iraq but not his return to c...
Swine flu suspected in infant’s death
 

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Have a question about letters? Contact Carol MacPherson (cmacpherson@heraldnet.com or 425-339-3472).
 
Published: Friday, March 28, 2008

Knowledge is power; power to the people

By the time state lawmakers convene again next year, their results will be under the scrutiny of a new set of eyes -- yours.

If you care to find out how they're spending your tax money, that is.

In a welcome boost for government accountability, the Legislature unanimously approved the creation of a new Web resource that will allow citizens to quickly and intuitively access detailed, understandable information on state spending and taxes. Much of that information is already available on the Web, but it's hard to find. And once you find it, good luck making sense of it. The idea of this new site is to bring it all together in one user-friendly place where average taxpayers can see where their money is going.

Want to know what state employees earn in salary and benefits? No problem. Curious about where state revenues come from? You got it. Care to see how well agencies are meeting their performance goals? It'll be there.

The benefits will go far beyond satisfying curiosity. State budget information is often cryptic, bordering on indecipherable. Even lawmakers have trouble mentally navigating the nooks and crannies of an enterprise that takes in and spends so many billions every year. Done well, this new resource will give citizens, interest groups, journalists and lawmakers themselves a more meaningful foundation on which to consider various priorities. Better information should lead to better decisions.

Just as importantly, demystifying state expenditures may help citizens understand the tough tradeoffs involved in every big budget decision. This state's initiative process gives voters a direct say in the setting of many state priorities; they should have a way to study the big picture in a meaningful way. To that end, those in charge of designing the new site should endeavor to present information in a variety of ways, including easy-to-understand tables, pie charts and bar graphs, with explanations in plain English.

As a next step, members of the Washington Coalition for Open Government plan to push for making it easier to find other information on state agency Web sites, perhaps using a standard search model like Google or Yahoo have. Bravo.

Every such action is supported by the principle that open government is good government. We are, after all, self-governed. We should have the information we need to govern ourselves well.

1. Emory’s owner fears fire was arson
2. Monroe honking case makes it to state Supreme Court
3. Vatican ponders the souls in space
4. 81 veterans' names, 81 meaningful lives honored in Snohomish
5. Hope dims that Olympics will boost region
6. Student hit in crosswalk to return
7. Smokey Point to celebrate end of roadwork
8. Death on Edmonds waterfront ruled a suicide
9. Help for young moms may continue
10. Semifinal slate sealed on ‘Dancing With Stars’
Enterprise Newspaper Snohomish County Business Journal
Bazaar Fever
Hawks proud of historic season
Olson always put Edmonds first
Honoring student veterans
‘Wheedle' author comes to Lynnwood bookshop
Mavs build early lead en route to easy win
Prep football games of the week (state playoffs)
Tears of laughter, tears of grief
Death on Edmonds beach likely a suicide
The Enterprise Online Newspaper


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