The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) has launched AccountAbilityOK.com.  The website allows citizens to search state government spending, state employee salaries and pensions, sources of state revenue, and to find out who benefits from tax credits.

“For years, scrutiny of Oklahoma government spending has been largely reserved for a few powerful legislators and the occasional lucky journalist who stumbles upon a confidential tip,” said OCPA Fiscal Policy Director Jonathan Small, CPA. “AccountAbilityOK.com evens the playing field for citizens and allows them access to spending data, which is a powerful tool to hold government accountable.

“While other transparency websites offer some information, no site offers as quick and user friendly an experience as AccountabilityOK.com. We strongly encourage citizens to begin their own investigation, and they can see firsthand bloated pension payments, exorbitant travel expenditures, ridiculous salaries and perpetual growth in government spending.”

In 2006, OCPA and Sen. Tom Coburn began promoting the idea for a government transparency website that allowed citizens to search state expenditures. In 2007, the Legislature approved the idea and the Office of State Finance created Oklahoma Open Books.

“While Oklahoma Open Books was a great first step, AccountAbilityOK.com makes it easy for Oklahomans to search data organized in a way that is simple to understand so they have the information to hold government accountable,” said OCPA President Michael Carnuccio. “Our goal is freedom, and the best way to advance freedom is to empower citizens with knowledge about government activities.”

OCPA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank which formulates public policy research and analysis consistent with the principles of free enterprise, limited government, and individual initiative.