Newly elected Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity wants to detail online how the county spends billions of taxpayer dollars each year, mirroring efforts at the federal and state levels to expand budget transparency.
The proposal from Herrity, a Republican representing the Springfield District,would create a database of exactly where the county’s annual $5.8 billion in expenditures go. County staff is scheduled to report on the proposed measure in March.
“People want to know how their taxes are being spent,” Herrity said. “And we as public officials should let them know how their taxes are being spent.”
A bill that would do the same for state expenditures, sponsored by Fairfax Sens. Ken Cuccinelli and Chap Peterson, a Republican and Democrat, respectively, died in a Senate committee earlier this month.
Both proposals were inspired by USASpending.gov, which was created by act of Congress in 2006 and tracks federal expenditures.
Prince William supervisors also are reportedly considering such a database.
Other Fairfax County officials say the budget already has a robust online presence. Last year, Fairfax was named one of the top “digital” counties by the Center for Digital Government.
“We already have a lot online, and if there’s more we can do, we certainly will,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly.
Herrity disputes that citizens have adequate access to how the county spends its money, and said the Web site now offers only “static summary information.”
“It’s not interactive,” he said. “You can’t drill down. Yes, if you were willing to spend a couple months out of your life, you get most of the details … but it’s not useful.”
It’s not clear how much the database would cost, and whether it could be created with the county’s gaping budget shortfall. Recent forecasts suggest next fiscal year’s deficit could top $145 million.
