12/18/2015

Columbus Dispatch: Mandel adds pension systems to OhioCheckbook.com

The Columbus Dispatch 
By Randy Ludlow
December 18, 2015 

All five state retirement systems will disclose their spending through OhioCheckbook.com, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel announced this afternoon.

The Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, State Teachers Retirement System, School Employees Retirement System and Highway Patrol Retirement System will join the Police & Fire Pension Fund.

“I believe the taxpayers and retirees of Ohio have a right to know how their tax money is being spent and I applaud Ohio public pension funds for partnering with my office to post their finances on OhioCheckbook.com," Mandel said in a statement.

"My vision is to create an army of citizen watchdogs who are empowered to hold public officials accountable."

Ohio will be the first state in the nation to post all spending information from state pension systems, said Mandel, who has earned praise for his commitment to tax-dollar transparency.

Launched a year ago this month, OhioCheckbook.com permits searches of billions of dollars in spending by state government and increasing numbers of local governments and schools. The pension system information will be added early next year.