Open Illinois.org

The Illinois Policy Institute’s Ten-Point Transparency Checklist, Rationale, and Examples.

1. Elected & Administrative Officials: Contact Information
2. Meeting Information: Calendar (Future) Minutes & Board Packets (Past)
3. Public records: FOIA submission & FOIA Officer Contact Information
4. Budgets: General Fund and Special Projects
5. Financial Audits: Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports
6. Expenditures: Checkbook Register and Credit Card Receipts
7. Salary & Benefits: Wages, Salary, Overtime, Health, Dental, Life, Pension, etc.
8. Contracts: Union, Private Contractors, Vendors
9. Lobbying: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Associations
10. Taxes & Fees: Sales, Property, Income, and Miscellaneous Taxes, fees on residents & businesses

1. Elected & Administrative Officials: The website should include contact information (Phone & E-Mail) of all elected officials, the top administrator, and the head administrator for each department.

Rationale: Officials are elected to represent their constituents. In order to do so effectively they should be engaged in regular dialogue and be as accessible as possibly by providing a variety of ways to be contacted.
Administrative staffs are knowledgeable resources, provide constituent services and often enforce ordinances. Because of these roles it is imperative for them to be available to constituents by providing contact information to the heads of each department and not just general information.

Example: Elected Officials Village of Streamwood
Example: Administrators Village of Streamwood

2. Meeting Information: Calendar/Agendas (Future), Minutes & Board Packets (Past). (Prior 5-years)

Websites should include notices about public meetings of its governing board, and minutes of past meetings. Websites should have meeting agendas for future and/or past meetings, and board packets so citizens and elected officials have equal access to the information used to make legislative decisions.

Rationale: Citizens should have the knowledge of when an elective body meets and what issues they will be voting on so they can be an informed and engaged in the democratic process. Meetings are one of the few ways the public can engage in true dialogue with representatives. Given the reality of busy schedules, governments should offer an alternative to meeting attendance by posting meetings, agendas, board packets, locations and minutes on their website.

Example: Calendar Village of Hoffman Estates
Example: Agendas & Minutes Village of Hanover Park
Example: Board Packets City of Rolling Meadows

3. Public records: FOIA submission & FOIA Officer Contact Information

Rationale: While a website with comprehensive transparency will cut down substantially on Freedom of Information Act, FOIA requests provides an important means through which the public can obtain information regarding the activities of government agencies. Governments are required by law to respond to FOIA requests. A public body that maintains a website is required by state law to post its FOIA process and FOIA Officer information prominently on its website per (5 ILCS 140/4) (from Ch. 116, par. 204).

Example: DuPage County FOIA Submission & FOIA Officer Contact

4. Budgets: The website should include the current-year budget and the budget for the prior 4 years. (5-years total)

Rationale: Budgets show the big picture of what goals and priorities the government established for the year and prior years. Budgets details also serve as a way for taxpayers determine how the government performed in relation to past years.

Example: Village of Hoffman Estates

5. Financial Audits: The website should include regular audit information for the past 5-years, specifically the comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for the agency’s total performance. Additionally, websites should include special project report results (such as TIF districts and special construction projects), audit schedules and performance audits for government programs. (Prior 5-years)

Rationale: While budgets give the big picture to constituents, an audit reveals how well the government performs on their goals. An audit reveals how closely elected officials kept their promises, and enable constituents to hold them accountable.

Example: Village of Schaumburg

6. Expenditures: The website should include a Checkbook Register and Credit Card. (Prior 5-years)

Rationale: Having access to a checkbook register, or bill list, provides timely and pertinent information about government operations to the citizens and taxpayers. Often such bill lists are voted upon by elected officials and citizens should have access to the same information as its leaders. Having expenditure information online deters waste and abuse by government employees, and increases the chances of rectifying problems once they occur.

Example: Year-End Expenditures Village of Schaumburg (Treasurer’s Report)
Example: Checkbook Register DuPage County, Kane County

7. Salary & Benefits: The website should contain all the employee compensation information including Wages, Salary, Overtime, Health, Dental, Life, Pension, etc. (Prior 5-years)

Rationale: Salaries & benefits is the biggest expense area for most bodies of government. Government employees work for the citizens. Citizens should have a right to know how much in compensation they are paying each of their employees as well as knowing the number of employees each body of government has.

Example: Village of Hoffman Estates

8. Contracts: The website should include rules governing contracts posted online for the last 5-years; including bids and contracts for purchases over $2,500 and the vendor’s campaign contributions posted with contract. (Prior 5-years)

Rationale: Contracts should be available for review so the people can evaluate if the contract was a no bid replacement and/or if the government chose the best solution for its constituents.

Example: USASpending.gov

9. Lobbying: If the unit of government belongs to any taxpayer-funded lobbying associations that it helps to fund by paying association or membership dues, that information should be disclosed on the government unit’s website. Additionally, if any unit of government directly contracts with a lobbying firm that should be disclosed on a website as well. (Prior 5-years)

Rationale: Almost all government entities have lobbyists on retainer or are members of an association that lobbies on their behalf. This information should be disclosed to constituents, so they can make sure what is being lobbied benefits the community.

Example: Anderson County, SC

10. Taxes & Fees: Websites should include detailed information for any type of tax or fee that it levies including sales, property, income, and miscellaneous taxes, fees on residents & businesses. A comprehensive fee schedule detailing all taxes is preferred.

Rationale: Citizens should have ready access to tax & fee information. Not only is it important for citizens to know the costs of government, readily available information helps increase collection rates.

Example: City of Carbondale

If you’re an elected official or government administrator contact Brian Costin at bcostin@illinoispolicy.org for more information on how to earn a perfect 100% score on our transparency audit.