COLUMBUS — Want to know how much that state inspector makes? How about the regional lottery chief? A new fully searchable state employee salary database with updated 2011 figures is now live on the OhioTreasurer.gov website.
The database is the work of Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who said it was “part of my desire to make government more accessible and accountable to Ohioans.
“The goal of these transparency initiatives is to help Ohioans follow their tax dollars and see how their hard-earned money is being spent,” Mandel said.
The website has other online services for Ohioans, including portals for increased government transparency, investment in Ohio bonds, constituent assistance, expanded online learning and easier access to ePayments.
Ohioans may also view the new website in mobile format on their smartphones.
Without a means of comparison this information is not that valuable to the ordinary citizen. Because of our cultural penchant to not reveal one’s salary if preventable, which this tirade on revealing all the information to everyone, most people have no way of knowing whether a particular figure is overly generous or par for the current market for such talents. When asked whether voters want the best talent that can be gotten to provide teaching to their children, firemen to protect their house or policemen to protect their safety, they will be the first to say of course. So why at every turn are these professionals being denigrated and put down because they get paid in many cases even below the market rates? This is politics at its worst..