Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli warned that Cuomo wants to shift oversight of contracts away from the Comptroller's Office, give the governor's office broad powers to unilaterally make spending decisions and shift billions of dollars to scandal-scarred public authorities.

A state budget rule requires agencies to disclose records of any bank account that is outside of the state’s normal accounting system, exempting only state universities. However, the rule allows agencies to apply to the state Budget and Control Board for an exemption if “release of the information would be detrimental to the state or agency.” The budget board discusses the exemption requests in a closed-to-the-public meeting but votes on them in public.

Officially, the governor's budget for fiscal year 2012-13 is $137.3 billion, but total state expenditures would be about a quarter-trillion dollars.

Legislative leaders and Gov. John Hickenlooper would not commit to a more visible debate as they craft the state's next budget.

Lawmakers and the public would have an easier time identifying earmarks in the state budget, under legislation being considered at the state Capitol.

In 2008, 175 former Connecticut state employees received pensions worth at least $100,000. That number rose to 299 people in 2009 and is expected to continue rising.

Are students learning the things they need to know? Is there a healthy exchange of ideas? Are trustees upholding the public trust? Are taxpayers getting a good value for their money? These are the kinds of questions to which the people of Minnesota deserve answers. It is the goal of this report card to provide answers and to help Minnesota—a state rightly known for its passion for education—be a national standard bearer for excellence, accountability, and efficiency in higher education.

Sound pension reform meets four general criteria: (1) establish transparency with respect to the true cost of the benefits promised to public employees; (2) mandate that the pension plan sponsor pay the full cost of accrued benefits each year; (3) mandate that the pension plan sponsor pay down the unfunded accrued liability over a reasonable time horizon and (4) improve the generational equity, portability and security of benefits for public employees.

The South Carolina state budget should be more transparent. There should be one document showing the exact amount lawmakers appropriated in a given year and the budget should reveal where all money is coming from.  The budget should list every program each agency is running, how much that program is receiving, and a description of the program.

At least 34 states have passed legislation--often called Taxpayer Transparency Acts--requiring a centralized, searchable website that provides information to the public about state expenditures or state contracts.  They can all be found here.

The Texas Public Policy Foundation provides a host of potential budget solutions for the 2011 Texas state budget. Their solutions cover a broad range of categories from education to tax policy. Take a look!

Over the long term, one of the most important reforms the Legislature can enact to promote fiscal responsibility is to make the appropriations process more transparent.

This ALEC model legislation affirms that the government of a state has a duty to affirmatively disclose certain information, in a timely manner, and to shift the burden from citizens and journalists to the state, to share all information necessary, so that citizens may hold their elected officials accountable.

Hopefully elected officials in the states will see the benefit of providing their citizens adequate public notice of legislative activity.  This language is being proposed as ALEC model legislation and a vote on it will be taken at the ALEC meeting in Cincinnati on April 29, 2011.