A call for data.ok.gov
The launch this week of Britain’s open data archive, data.gov.uk, is just the latest effort by governments to provide access to the information they collect. It follows the lead of the U.S. site, data.gov, which was launched last May. The White House’s Open Government Initiative blog had a welcoming note yesterday.
Here in Oklahoma, we need a similar effort. I’d like to see the state, maybe in partnership with local governments, provide a one-stop-shop of downloadable governmental data.
It’s not as if Oklahoma doesn’t already provide a wealth of data on its state agency sites. A quick search found the following downloadable data sets:
–Campaign finance and lobbyist gift-giving data from the state Ethics Commission
–Quarterly labor market information from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission
–Child abuse investigations, food stamp usage and other social welfare information from the Department of Human Services
–Daily tax revenue reports from the Oklahoma Tax Commission
The problem is that data is all over the place, residing deep inside separate agency Web sites. Why not simplify it by providing links from one central page, as well as suggestions for use and a place to see what other developers, media outlets and civic groups have done with the data? There’s plenty of good examples to work from, including Utah, New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco to name just a few.
In Oklahoma, we already have a model to work from at the University of Oklahoma’s Center for Spatial Analysis. From its Data Warehouse, the public can download specialized mapping files, called shapefiles, for geographic information systems. (And don’t forgot our own Your Right to Know page, which is a compilation of useful links, searchable databases and online maps we’ve used for stories in The Oklahoman and on NewsOK.com.)
Of course, the immediate barriers are obvious: developing data.ok.gov would cost manpower, time and money, something Oklahoma is lacking right now as it faces budget shortfalls. But several lawmakers, including Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, chairman of the House Government Modernization Committee, have shown interest in advancing the state’s technological agenda. The state also is in the process of hiring a chief information officer, so maybe developing a centralized data site could be part of their job, too.
Meanwhile, if you know of any downloadable data sets from state, city or county government that could be featured on a future data.ok.gov site, leave a comment below.
–Paul
Written by Paul Monies
Follow @pmonies
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Comments
We have to applaud the push for more openness in government, but while doing that we are making the gross error in assuming we will be shown the correct and accurate data. How realistic is it to think if someone has been hiding wrong they would suddenly throw up their hands and say – ok, you caught us, here is all the wrong we have been hiding?
Right here in Oklahoma we all cheered when state lawmakers passed the Taxpayer Transparency Act, creating Open Books.
If you go to the tax credits portion you will find the totals were left off altogether. You can only view 25 of the 11,000 line item at a time. Downloading all 11,000 reveals OTC only reported tax cost $64 million for 2007. After being public accused and one year late OTC tried to slip another $163 million of the missing 2007 tax credits on to Open Books at the same time OTC was reporting 2008 tax credits, which is gross underreported. Less than two weeks later another $100.5 million in missing tax credits were found unreported.
Oklahoma has 4 tax credit programs, costing taxpayers $100s million, operating in such secrecy that few if any are aware the programs exist. It is doubtful that many are aware the state has more than 80 tax credit programs. The 4 super secret are: Small Business Capital Company (SBC) and Rural Small Business Capital Company (RSBC); and Small Business Venture (SBV) and Rural Small Business Venture (RSBV);
Only the SBC and RSBC can be found on Open Books. SBV and RSBC can be found on no state reports, except for the IRC Capco report where the two programs are mislabeled as “amount invested in conjunction.” Invested in conjunction is not the name of a program, but a term buried deep in the law that created these 4 programs.
While we are on the subject, how many people are aware that between 30 to 40% of our annual spending is over, above and not shown on our state budget. That is our appropriations budget which we have all came to believe is our only budget. The remainder is spent through tax expenditures where there is no tracking or accountability. Biannually the tax commission issues an estimate called a Tax Expenditure Report. OTC only provides estimates for 150 of the 500 line items that come under tax expenditures. The 80 tax credit programs are buried in the 500 line items.
Why aren’t we as concerned about completeness and accuracy in the reports we do have? It is much worse to have the false sense of security that we have been shown what is occurring when in fact we have been mislead.
[...] I’ve called for more downloadable data from state government, so it was nice to see the report mention that among its improvements to the Open Books site: The [...]
[...] disclosure: The need to establish a data.ok.gov site was something I blogged about last month. I mentioned the need for that site to Rep. Murphey at a public event in late January.) [...]
[...] of its Open Books site. It’s a fairly good presentation, but it doesn’t allow you to download the raw data or do any kind of aggregation. I contacted the Office of State Finance to get some of the raw data [...]
[...] regardless of amount – separate from aggregated amounts. The website must present the data in a standardized exportable format. Within 18 months of Open Books 2.0 being online, OSF must create an online archive for each fiscal [...]
Today, while I was at work, my cousin stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a 25 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now destroyed and she has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
That sounds excellent but i’m still less than sure that I favor it. In any case will look even extra into it and choose personally!
[...] it needs to provide data to the public so that it can be analyzed. Paul Monies with the Oklahoman has an excellent idea on his blog today that would create a digital warehouse for such information. As Paul points out, there is a lot of [...]