Show us the payrolls

Remember that iconic Wendy’s commercial featuring actress Clara Peller who angrily exclaimed “Where’s the beef?” after she received a burger with a massive bun from a fictional competitor? That question grew in popularity throughout the United States and parts of the globe and became a catchphrase for a variety of situations. It was even used by candidates for political office to denigrate their opponents’ positions on important issues.

It was straightforward, yet powerful – which is why it came to mind recently when local officials joined Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel to announce their participation in the state’s nationally recognized government transparency initiative.

On Dec. 2, Mandel announced partnerships with the Youngstown City and Mathews school districts and Austintown, Howland, Liberty, Milton and Bazetta townships to post their checkbooks on the state’s website, OhioCheckbook.com.

Mandel launched Ohio-Checkbook.com, which sets a new national standard for government transparency. This is the second phase of the Treasurer’s Transparency Project, which Mandel unveiled soon after he took office in 2011.

Then, all state employee salaries were posted online, followed by all Ohio teacher and education employee pay. The Ohio Department of Education provided the data.

Now, all state spending information is on the Internet and can be accessed by the click of the mouse.

But while the salaries of teachers are posted, not all local governments have been forthcoming with their payrolls.

SECRECY CONTINUES

Indeed, local governments in the Mahoning Valley that have signed onto OhioCheckbook.com are the most secretive.

Here’s the latest listing of the local entities that have yet to completely let the sunshine in:

Mahoning County – County government; city of Campbell; Austintown, Beaver, Boardman, Jackson, Milton and Springfield townships; New Middletown and Sebring villages; Boardman Township Park Special District.

Trumbull County – County government; cities of Girard, Hubbard and Niles; Bazetta, Howland and Liberty townships; and Lordstown Village.

Columbiana County – cities of Columbiana and Salem; Unity Township; Salineville Village; Salem Public Library.

None of the local governments has posted its payrolls on the state website, even though Treasurer Mandel has asked them to include local salary data.

Why? Because giving taxpayers easy access to what is the largest expenditure of an operating budget would lay bare a long-known fact: Too many public employees receive wages and benefits that are not only unjustified, but are excessive when compared with the wages and benefits earned by the average private-sector worker.

So, “Where’s the beef?” The keepers of the public purse need to answer that question.

This is especially true of Mahoning County government, which was touted in April for being the first of the 88 counties in Ohio to post its financial transactions on OhioCheckbook.com.

Mandel came to town to heap praise on Commissioners Anthony Traficanti, Carol Rimedio-Righetti and David Ditzler for blazing the trail.

ence, the commissioners were asked if county government’s payroll would be on the state’s website. The answer from county Budget Director Audrey Tillis could be summed up in one word: No.

Tillis said that posting the payroll was a complicated endeavor and that it would take some time. That was eight months ago, and the information still is not available.

But here’s the kicker: There are other local government entities around the state that have posted their payrolls, and Treasurer Mandel has made it clear that assistance from his staff is a telephone call away.

Such secrecy in government does not inspire confidence or trust. Why are the salaries of state employees and teachers and other school employees able to be posted, but not those of local government workers?

During his visit to the Valley earlier this month, Mandel again laid out his vision for government transparency:

“I believe the people of the Mahoning Valley have a right to know how their tax money is being spent, and I applaud local leaders here for partnering with the Treasurer’s office to post their finances on OhioCheckbook.com. My vision is to create an army of citizen watchdogs who are empowered to hold public officials accountable.”

But how can the people serve as watchdogs when they don’t have access to all the information pertaining to revenue and expenditures of public dollars?

“Where’s the beef?” The obvious answer: It’s being hidden from sight.