Government Transparency & Accountability

Through my research, and through multiple conversations with community residents, it has become apparent that our current governing body operates within a closed system, resulting in an obvious disconnect between elected officials and their constituents. This structure impedes accountability and often leaves residents in the dark on the implications of government decisions.

As mayor of Tallahassee, I will propose three specific actions that will help improve the transparency of city government.

1. Lobbyist Registration: Lobbyists will be required to register with the City of Tallahassee before discussing any issues with city commissioners or city staff. Registration information will include client name(s) and rate of compensation. This information will then be posted to the city’s website in a searchable database.
2. Declaration of Fiscal Impact: I will propose that the City Commission adopt a law requiring the fiscal impact of a City Commission action to be clearly identified — in dollars — in the agenda item that is under consideration. This will plainly illustrate the cost implications of every decision made by the commission and help city residents better understand how their tax dollars are being used. The current policy in place is simply ineffective.
3. Access to Public Records: Residents deserve quick and easy access to all public records, yet the process for requesting and receiving public information is nowhere near efficient. As your mayor, I will work to make public records more accessible to increase transparency and accountability, and empower our citizens to be more involved in the decisions that affect their daily lives. For example, I recently launched http://TalGovSpending.com, a Web site that enables residents to freely search for city expenditures and empowers them to hold elected officials accountable for their fiscal decisions.