I am the first to admit I am a product of the public school system. And so, when I can’t undestand something I read, I am quick to write it off to my lack of education. A case in point would be any fiscal document published by Buncombe County since I have been covering the commissioners’ meetings for the local conservative rag. Normally financial matters are provided on the consent agenda, giving the public, and the commissioners, no more than a line-item title, a dollar amount, and a reference number. See Exhibits A, B, C, D, and E from this week. Earlier today, taking the first step, which was acknowledging that I had a problem, I resolved it was time for me to seek help. I would stay after the commissioners’ meeting and ask somebody to help me translate the information and understand where I needed to go to track down details.
Amazingly, the ever scholarly Don Yelton beat me to the punch. During the public comment portion of the meeting, he requested more information on the budget items. He was interested in creating his own database to track county spending and found the available information wanting. I tagged along behond Yelton after the meeting. Finance Director Donna Clark explained most of the funds were just pass-through, and they had already been spent. The county printed only a title to avoid politicization and unfair assessment of expenditures. Clark didn’t know how exactly the money was spent, but trusted the experts who oversaw the use of the funds. I said that wasn’t good enough for my fiscally-conservative readers. Clark offered to provide more information should I call her when the agendas come out. I shall.
In the meantime, the John Locke Foundation’s Agenda 2010 pools great ideas from local governments around the state for increasing fiscal transparency. Wake County appears to be doing what Yelton was suggesting. Columbus posts every check online. To my astonishment, the JLF ranks Buncombe as the third most transparent county government in the state.
