Ohioans can now view state's 'checkbook' online; treasurer will extend to local governments

YOUNGSTOWN

After getting the state’s checkbook online, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel will focus now on getting the 3,800 or so local government subdivisions to do the same — at no cost to them.

Mandel, a Republican, had his office spend about 18 months building a website — ohiocheckbook.com — and providing information on about $408 billion in state spending from about 112 million transactions from 2008 to 2014. It will continue to update the information.

The website allows citizens to search and compare spending by all state government agencies with 36 different pieces of information on every transaction.

Mandel, re-elected last month to another four-year term as treasurer, visited The Vindicator on Tuesday to discuss the website.

It cost $814,000 to build, with Mandel saying his office cut $6 million in expenses during his first term so there was money to pay for ohiocheckbook.com.

Next on his list are government subdivisions — including cities, townships, counties, villages, fire districts, libraries, sewer districts.

Mandel’s office will send letters to officials at the subdivisions asking them to provide similar information about their spending to be added to the website.

If entities don’t comply, “I’m going to show up at public meetings and ask, ‘What do you have to hide? Why won’t you provide the information?’” he said.

Read more about the plan in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.