By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff
The city of Sandpoint is preparing to introduce new software that will improve public access to its financial activity.
Authorized in the 2018 budget, the Financial Transparency Portal will provide residents improved access to the city’s financial books and data. The software launches on the Sandpoint website this week, and before the year’s end, the public will be able to compare Sandpoint’s performance benchmark data with similar cities. Finally, the software will improve the city’s ability to collect resident feedback on city services. According to Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton, the city staff has done an exceptional job integrating the software into the city website — so much so that the software developers have labeled Sandpoint a one of their key partners across the U.S.
The new portal provides detailed breakdowns of city revenue sources, including funds collected through the 1-percent local option tax. Likewise, residents can find information on the city’s expenses.
While we have you ...
... if you appreciate that access to the news, opinion, humor, entertainment and cultural reporting in the Sandpoint Reader is freely available in our print newspaper as well as here on our website, we have a favor to ask. The Reader is locally owned and free of the large corporate, big-money influence that affects so much of the media today. We're supported entirely by our valued advertisers and readers. We're committed to continued free access to our paper and our website here with NO PAYWALL - period. But of course, it does cost money to produce the Reader. If you're a reader who appreciates the value of an independent, local news source, we hope you'll consider a voluntary contribution. You can help support the Reader for as little as $1.
You can contribute at either Paypal or Patreon.
Contribute at Patreon Contribute at Paypal