Gov. Bill Ritter today announced the launch of the Transparency Online Project (TOP) System, which gives citizens easy Internet access to information and records about state expenditures and revenues.
“TOP sets a new standard for accountability, responsibility and transparency in state government,” Gov. Ritter said. “Taxpayers now have a convenient and modern tool to see exactly where their money is going and how it’s being spent. This project makes government work smarter, better and more efficiently for the people of Colorado. This is especially important in this economic climate as we keep the budget balanced and lead Colorado toward a strong recovery.”
The TOP System was established pursuant to an executive order issued by Gov. Ritter earlier this year. The order calls for expenditure information to be available online by today and revenue information by Jan. 1, 2010. Today’s launch provides the revenue data four months early.
The executive order works collectively with House Bill 09-1288. The TOP System website (http://tops.state.co.us) goes beyond the requirements of the executive order by allowing users to view the state’s payments for expenditures, revenue reimbursements, and balance sheet accounts, providing the user with a checkbook approach.