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Report Says States Making Progress On Budget Transparency

An exterior view of the Massachusetts State House in Boston
wikipedia.org

A new report from a Massachusetts consumer watchdog said  it is becoming easier for the public to find out how their state tax dollars are spent.

Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut were among 14 states that graded the highest on an annual report card for financial transparency. 

   The Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group looked at what spending data is available on line and how accessible it is. 

   MassPIRG legislative director Deirdre Cummings said it is a lot easier for people to follow the money now than it was just five years ago.

  " This is  good news," she said.

        Vermont was graded a “ B-plus” in the MassPIRG report.    Three states, Idaho, Alaska, and California got “ F’s” in the report.

The record-setting tenure of Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. The 2011 tornado and its recovery that remade the largest city in Western Massachusetts. The fallout from the deadly COVID outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. Those are just a few of the thousands and thousands of stories WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill has covered for WAMC in his nearly 17 years with the station.