Louisiana Lobbyists, Business Groups Push State to Launch Budget Transparency Website

Louisiana business groups want state government to create a website they say would give residents a clearer picture of how taxpayers’ money is spent.

Supporters say LouisianaCheckbook.com would make state and, eventually, local governments more accountable to voters and taxpayers.

The proposal comes as the legislature prepares to address an estimated $1 billion budget shortfall in either a special session later this month or during a regular session that begins March 12.

“If the legislature listens to the people and makes LouisianaCheckbook.com a reality, citizens will have access to information about every dollar spent by government in Louisiana, so they’ll have a meaningful way to hold elected officials accountable to how their tax dollars are used,” Daniel Erspamer, CEO of the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, a conservative think tank based in New Orleans, said in a news release announcing the push Monday. Read more…