Montgomery Bill Sheds Light on Government Spending
Senate Approves Montgomery-Sponsored Legislation to Increase Transparency on Albany’s Spending Practices
To ensure public money is spent wisely, Senator Velmanette Montgomery (D-Brooklyn) passed legislation (S.372-A/A.7993-A) requiring state offices and agencies to report and justify how taxpayer dollars are spent. Increasing transparency, accountability and openness of state spending allows the public to hold Albany accountable to the taxpayers’ needs.
“New Yorkers deserve to know who is getting what share of the state’s fiscal pie. My legislation is intended to help create transparency in departmental spending, enabling citizens to more easily track the allocation of state dollars earmarked for the betterment of their communities," said Senator Montgomery.
Under Senator Montgomery’s bill, reporting agencies will have to provide detailed accounts of their spending in addition to the generalized annual reports they now issue.
The new information is to be compiled and reported annually by zip code, types and value of state grants awarded, and by the names of community-based organizations receiving the financial assistance.
This legislation, also sponsored by Assemblywoman Inez Barron (D-Brooklyn), has passed both houses of the Legislature and awaits action from the Governor.
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