PRESS RELEASE from the
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
 
MEDIA CONTACT: Brian Costin
bcostin@illinoispolicy.org or 630-589-9240

 

SPRINGFIELD (Nov. 27, 2012) – Macoupin County government earned the top score in the Illinois Policy Institute’s most recent series of online government transparency audits. Meanwhile, 24 other counties in western Illinois received low marks, and many do not appear to be compliant with Illinois open records laws.
 
The Illinois Policy Institute’s Local Transparency Project grades local governments on how much public data is readily available on public websites, basing scores on the availability of vital community information, such as public meeting schedules, government employee salaries and tax rates, to the public. Since the project launched in February 2010, more than 275 government entities have been graded.
 
Macoupin County received the only passing grade in the audit – a grade of 76.4 out of a possible 100 points. Macoupin County also showed the largest improvement during the three-month project by increasing its score by 44 points.
 
“Having an honest and open government is vital to keeping the trust with voters and helping every tax payer know their government is working for them.” said Pete Duncan, Macoupin County clerk.
 
The 16 counties who failed the Institute’s transparency audit are: Adams, Brown, Christian, Fulton, Hancock, Jersey, Knox, Logan, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Peoria, Sangamon, Tazewell and Warren. Many of these low marks were due to not having information such as meeting notices, salary schedules and other vital community information readily available online.
 
The counties of Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Henderson, McDonough, Pike, Schuyler and Scott did not have official websites and therefore were not included in the audit.
 
“With Illinois’ history of corruption, no one in this state should be resisting improving transparency efforts,” said Brian Costin, director of government reform at the Illinois Policy Institute. “Unfortunately, it’s not just the Institute’s suggestions that these counties are failing to live up to; many are failing to comply with basic state laws. Taxpayers should demand more transparency from their elected officials.”
 
Click here to view the grading rubric online
 
Click here for a full list of scores earned by western Illinois counties

Click here for a list of western Illinois county government compliance with state transparency laws

MEDIA CONTACT: Brian Costin
bcostin@illinoispolicy.org or 630-589-9240

 
The Illinois Policy Institute is a nonpartisan research and education organization dedicated to making our state a beacon for liberty and prosperity for all citizens. As a leading voice for economic liberty and government accountability, the Institute engages policy makers, opinion leaders and citizens on the state and local level by promoting free market principles and liberty-based public policy initiatives for a better Illinois. To learn more about the Institute or review our policy work, please visit: illinoispolicy.org.