Aiken County finances now transparent

The words "transparency in government" are often uttered, too often ignored.

Aiken County residents, however, can take comfort in knowing that the men and women they have elected to County Council are putting meat into this saying. Aiken County Council has made great efforts in recent weeks to put virtually all of the County's financial dealings online and available to the public.

From annual budgets to monthly expenditures, the County's books are available at the Aiken County website (www.aikencountysc.gov).

South Carolina has encouraged local governments to be more open with financial accounting by putting as much information as possible online for the public to see. S.C. Comptroller Richard Eckstrom has been the chief proponent of this new transparency, and the City of Aiken was among the first in the state to put its financials on the web.

Now that Aiken County government is doing the same, taxpayers can readily see how money is being utilized. Budgets, financial reports, credit card transactions, check registers and lists of accounts are all available for perusal. The County is to be commended for taking this bold step toward real transparency in allowing the public to better see and understand the public's business.