Meridian officials have notified the Idaho Freedom Foundation that the city will soon begin posting line-item expenditure data on the municipality’s website. That makes Meridian the fourth Idaho community to agree to a new level of transparency, allowing citizens to see how every dollar is being spent. Eagle is already posting its transactions online. Nampa and Canyon County are preparing to post line-item reports online.

“Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd listened to the details of the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s transparency project, asked for more information, studied the issue and then ultimately agreed to this additional level of accountability,” said Idaho Freedom Foundation Executive Director Wayne Hoffman. “This decision will benefit Meridian taxpayers, who will now be able to review the city’s expenditure records without the need to file a public records request. This will lead to more responsible spending decisions and give taxpayers the means to hold elected officials accountable for how public dollars are spent.”

In addition to Eagle, Nampa, Meridian and Canyon County, the Idaho Freedom Foundation has received detailed expenditure data from the city of Boise, Ada County Highway District, Pocatello School District, Coeur d’Alene School District and the Greater Boise Auditorium District. The Foundation is in discussions with many other taxing districts throughout Idaho regarding the release and online posting of expenditure data. IFF is also in the process of developing its own transparency in government website database.

The Idaho Freedom Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan free market think tank. The organization began operating in January and promotes free-market solutions to issues at the state and local level, limited government, low taxes, private property rights and transparency in government.