2009 NSAA/NASC Joint Middle Management Conference Page 1 Transparency: Moving Forward _____________________________________.

2009 NSAA/NASC Joint Middle Management Conference

Page 1http://www.apa.virginia.gov

Transparency: Moving ForwardTransparency: Moving Forward

_____________________________________

April 20, 2009April Gunn, CPA, CISAVirginia Auditor of Public Accounts



Commonwealth Data Point BackgroundCommonwealth Data Point Background

• Result of legislation passed during 2005 General Assembly Session

• Legislator envisioned a public website with multiple years of data, as well as periodic analyses

• Required our office to create a searchable database containing a variety of state and local financial data




• Currently contains demographic data, detailed state financial data, detailed local government data, and other analyses

• Currently has 6 full years of data and is updated quarterly

• Unaudited information




• Development took 8 months

• Live November 1, 2005

• Resources: database and web server, software/licenses, and staff

• Issues: no single source of data, no data linkage, timeliness of data, warehouse structure



Privacy ConcernsPrivacy Concerns

• Initial research/scrubbing

• Emergency Changes - HIPPA

• FERPA

• FOIA

• Other– General Citizen Inquiries– Police Officers


Legislative/Stimulus UpdateLegislative/Stimulus Update

• Multiple bills to exempt information from VA’s FOIA – all referred to FOIA council– Teacher’s Salaries– Police Officer Information

• Stimulus.virginia.gov

• Privacy concerns with Stimulus funds



Legislative UpdateLegislative Update

• Bill adds to requirements:• Capital Outlay

• Debt

• Audit Reports

• In future:• Commodity Information

• Performance measures link

• Copy of actual grant/contract



Balancing Politics and OutcomesBalancing Politics and Outcomes

• Costs– Realistic expectations– Priorities

• Private entities

• Consistency

• Timeliness, Accuracy, Meaning

• Security/Privacy


Subject Title













Where are we going from here?Where are we going from here?

• Site re-design

• Transparency Portal

• Mandated/Other improvements

• Follow Stimulus funds





Commonwealth Data Point Contact Information Commonwealth Data Point Contact Information

http://datapoint.apa.virginia.gov

April Gunn

Director ~ Data Analysis

(804).225.3350 Ext. 330

[email protected]

2009 NSAA/NASC Joint Middle Management Conference Page 1 Transparency: Moving Forward _____________________________________.

Documents

local financial data

securityprivacy page

timeliness of data

unaudited information

demographic data

data linkage

data analysis

stimulus funds slide