Mary Lazich Has A Cool Idea About The Internets

State Sen. Mary Lazich, (R-New Berlin) abandons her shrink-the-government philosophy and suggests on her ironically-named "Conservatively Speaking" blog that the state create a Google-type website showing, with updates, where every expenditure of $100 is going.

Hey, big spender! Been in Madison too long?

OK, OK, I know...you think I am making this up.

Here are the salient paragraphs from the Lazich blog:

"Anyone could go to the website and see how the state is spending your money. Legislation that I have introduced would require that on July 1, 2009, the DOA must ensure that all state agency expenditures are available for inspection.

"The DOA would categorize expenditure information on the Web site by state agency and expenditure category. Within each category, DOA must show the amount and purpose of each expenditure exceeding $100 and the entity or person receiving your money.

"All of the following information relating to state agency grants and contracts would be made available to the general public: a copy of the contract and grant award; the state agency making the grant or entering into the contract; the name and address of the person receiving the grant or entering into the contract; the purpose of the grant or contract; the amount of the grant or the amount the state agency must expend under the contract; and the name of the state fund the grant is paid or moneys are expended under the contract.

"My bill authorizes frequent updates so the public is aware as quickly as possible about how their tax money is being spent. State agencies will be required to make the information available to the DOA not later than 24 hours after an expenditure is made or an agency makes a grant or enters into a contract."

Given that the state has a multi-billion budget, with countless numbers of transactions and record-keeping entries in offices across the state minute-by-minute, I'm figuring, conservatively speaking, that the state would need at least 250 new data entry clerks and programmers (union salaries, standard benefits, etc.), maybe up to a half-a-dozen systems consultants, plus dozens of new computer servers and about at least 250 powerful new computers to make this system a "Go!"

Somewhere around, shall we say, low-balling it, $12-15 million to get the whole deal up and running after a decent beta test drive.

Imagine the amounts of staff time and resources devoted to this essentially meaningless exercise, dreamed up by an actual State Senator who is, er, was, a fiscal conservative, and whose district is in the heart of tax rebellion country.

And where would you house this new, megacadre of data entry specialists?

Note to the afore-mentioned DOA: Dust off those plans for GEF-4. And work that building project into Lazich's faux-Google website data base, and don't forget about construction change orders as they come through!

About the only good thing about her idea is that certain legislative staffers and their bosses wouldn't have to answer all those pesky questions about state spending from constituents, leaving more free time to blog and chit-chat about politics and do lots of other cool stuff at the State Capitol.