Gov. Scott Wants Accessible Budget Website
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) – Looking for a little more transparency when it comes to the state's finances, Gov. Rick Scott is seeking competitive bids for a company to run Florida budget website which is open to all citizens.
The governor's office on Monday confirmed Scott's decision.
The Florida Senate currently has a contract for a little-used secure website called Transparency 2.0 which cost taxpayers about $5 million to develop. The one catch is that it excludes the public.
The contract with the sites developer, Spider Data Servicex expires Dec. 31.
Spider Data Services wants $1 million a year to renew the contract as is. Making it public would cost more.
The Legislature appropriated $2.5 million to transfer the website to Scott's office and make it public. Scott declined because it's a no-bid contract.
Open government and ethics advocacy groups had urged keeping the present website and making it public.
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