TOLEDO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

State treasurer’s website will show district’s spending

5/12/2015

Toledo Public Schools’ finances may become more navigable for the public.

School leaders were joined Monday by Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel to announce the district is the second in the state to begin using OhioCheckbook.com. The website has detailed spending breakdowns by state government entities, including each individual check written by the agencies.

“I believe the taxpayers of Ohio, the taxpayers of Toledo, have a right to know how their tax money is being spent,” Mr. Mandel said.

Toledo Public Schools for years has posted its check register online, but it currently posts those in PDF format, making the information detailed but cumbersome. The state website is more dynamic, allowing users to sort checks by, for instance, who received them, which could help the public better track who is getting what in tax money.

“It’s similar information, but I think we will benefit from improved function and ability to search,” TPS Treasurer Matt Cleland said.

The school district won’t have to pay the treasurer’s office to use the website, Mr. Mandel said. He is asking other school districts and municipalities to sign up for the website, allowing residents and government agencies to compare expenditures.

“It’s sort of a one-stop shop for government transparency,” he said.

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at: nrosenkrans@theblade.com or 419-724-6086, or on Twitter @NolanRosenkrans.