This open books web site
maricopa.gov/openbooksseems to be mostly propaganda, ie: we are doing great, please reelect us. They had a couple of pie charts, which seem to says that around 50 percent of the budget goes to the police or public safety as they call it. Public safety also includes the courts, prosecutors and a few other things. Website offers information on Maricopa County OpenBooks' goal is to boost transparency by Michelle Ye Hee Lee - Nov. 4, 2011 12:00 AM The Arizona Republic Maricopa County this week launched OpenBooks, a website that county officials hope will add transparency to the inner workings of county government. The website aggregates county data, including finance reports, audits, employee compensation information and a searchable database of county contracts. It also explains specific county functions, such as where its revenue comes from, how its property-tax bill works and how it spends federal stimulus money. Maricopa County oversees more than 50 agencies and departments, ranging from the Sheriff's Office and the Air Quality Department to the Department of Transportation. County officials said they wanted to pool information from reports and various department and agency websites so that county residents could view it all on one website. Questions and suggestions may be sent to Openbooks@mail.maricopa.gov. Visit the website at maricopa.gov/openbooks. |