CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Ross County Auditor Jeff Lehner and Treasurer David Jeffers announced their decision today to reinstate Ross County’s participation in OhioCheckbook.com, a joint venture of the State Treasurer’s office and the Governor’s Office of Budget & Management, aimed at providing Ohioans with access to state and local government spending data in a user-friendly format.
Ross County had previously participated in the program until 2020, and now, year-to-date spending data for 2023 is once again viewable on the site, along with expenditures for 2021 and 2022.
“This was a total no-brainer,” stated Auditor Lehner. “There is no cost to Ross County taxpayers associated with this decision, and our renewed participation in OhioCheckbook.com means that the people of Ross County can once again access the County’s spending data at their convenience, 24/7. Why would we not do this?”
Treasurer Jeffers echoed his sentiments, emphasizing the importance of transparency in government spending.
“OhioCheckbook.com is a great resource for anyone interested in seeing how Ross County’s government offices and agencies spend taxpayer dollars. I fully support the program, and we’ll see to it that Ross County sticks with it this time.”
OhioCheckbook.com was launched in 2014 by then-State Treasurer Josh Mandel to promote greater transparency in state and local government in Ohio. While participation by local governments is voluntary, it plays a vital role in enhancing fiscal responsibility. Data on the website is updated at the discretion of local elected officials with fiscal oversight responsibilities for their respective entities.
Lehner said his staff worked diligently to collect the last several years of spending to place online, right down to the penny.
By reinstating their participation in OhioCheckbook.com, Lehner and Jeffers said it aims to uphold their commitment to fiscal transparency and demonstrate a responsible approach to handling taxpayer funds. The decision will empower residents to monitor the allocation of their tax dollars and gain insight into how public officials manage the county’s budget, the elected officials said.
OhioCheckbook.com serves as a valuable tool for the public, enabling easy access to financial information and enhancing government accountability. The website’s user-friendly interface allows citizens to explore spending data in a searchable format, ensuring transparency and openness in the governance process.
For more information on OhioCheckbook.com and to access Ross County’s spending data, interested parties can visit the official website at OhioCheckbook.com or directly access Ross County’s data by clicking here.