If you want to track government spending, Virginia's open-records law protects your ability to follow the money -- before and after votes are counted.
Across the state, local officials appear to be providing easy access to their municipal budgets, although some have to be reminded that proposed or draft documents, like approved ones, are public records subject to scrutiny by residents, said Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.
"In some way, the current economic crisis has helped in the budget transparency," she said. "So many people are more concerned than they have been in the past because programs are being cut."
Many localities have put their budget documents and other financial reports on their Web sites, as well as in public libraries and government offices. Some also are making concerted efforts to get input from residents. Chesterfield County, for example, has been taking suggestions from residents and has posted on its Web site ideas received in a series of meetings last fall.
"It was part of our whole public engagement awareness and feedback, and we felt like [publishing the information] validated that process," said Allan Carmody, Chesterfield's director of budget and management.
But what if a budget lacks certain details -- for example, the salaries of key officials? The Virginia Freedom of Information Act allows you to dig for information, although it does not require officials to create a record.
Richmond City Councilman Bruce W. Tyler said he found the city's proposed budget lacking when he took office in 2007. Since then, he has requested line-item versions, which have been filled with arcane accounting codes that required dozen of hours to decipher. He said that though the documents have been problematic to read, they've helped him to better understand the proposed spending plan and to flag questionable expenses.
"That document is probably the best document to begin the dialogue," he said.
Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or wjones@timesdispatch.com.
Tomorrow: Find out what the Health Department knows about your favorite restaurants.
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