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Taxpayer Safeguards Reports

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Shining a Light on the Arizona Commerce Authority

Arizonans deserve to know how their taxpayer dollars are spent – including when their tax dollars are given as subsidies to corporations. However, more than a year after the creation of the Arizona Commerce Authority – the new state entity responsible for distributing the state’s economic development subsidies – the Commerce Authority discloses information online for only a portion of its economic development funds.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Following the Money 2012

This report is the Arizona PIRG Education Fund’s third annual ranking of states’ progress toward “Transparency 2.0”—a new standard of comprehensive, one-stop, one-click budget accountability and accessibility. The past year has seen continued progress, with new states providing online access to government spending information and several states pioneering new tools to further expand citizens’ access to spending information and engagement with government.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Caution: Red Light Cameras Ahead

Privatized traffic law enforcement systems are spreading rapidly across the United States, but the public interest is threatened when private camera companies and municipalities focus on ticket revenues first and safety second.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Tax-Increment Financing

Tax-increment financing (TIF) has been a widely used tool for municipalities seeking private investment. TIF allows cities and towns to borrow against an area’s future tax revenues in order to invest in immediate projects or encourage present development. When used properly, TIF can promote enduring growth and stronger communities for blighted neighborhoods; but TIF can also end up wasting taxpayer resources or channeling money to politically favored special interests.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Following the Money 2011

State governments across the country have been moving toward making their checkbooks transparent by creating online transparency portals – government-operated websites that allow visitors to see who receives state money and for what purposes. Forty states provide transparency websites that allow residents to access databases of government expenditures with “checkbook-level” detail. Most of these websites are also searchable, making it easier for residents to follow the money and monitor government spending.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Health Care

Mediating for Citizens

An ombudsman office plays an important role in government.  It provides citizens with an outlet for resolving legitimate grievances with government agencies, which can bolster public confidence in government and promote accountability of public officials and state agencies. This report makes recommendations for bolstering the effectiveness of the Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens’ Aide Office.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Following the Money 2010

State governments across the country are changing that. At least 32 states currently mandate that residents be able to access an online database of government expenditures with “checkbook-level” detail. Most of these Web sites are also searchable, making it easier for residents to obtain information about government spending. This report evaluates states’ progress toward “Transparency 2.0” – a new standard of comprehensive, one-stop, one-click budget accountability and accessibility.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Transparency 2.0

The Arizona PIRG Education Fund reviewed how current Arizona policy compares to best practices among Transparency 2.0 states that have upgraded their budget transparency systems. This report makes the case that Arizona must seize the opportunity to become a leader of the nationwide movement of state governments enhancing budget transparency in order to increase efficiency, accountability, and public trust.

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