Beavercreek schools, Spring Valley checkbooks to be available online

BEAVERCREEK — Two taxpayer-funded entities in Greene County have joined the ranks of government checkbooks being made available online. Checkbooks for the Beavercreek City School District and the Village of Spring Valley will be made available at OhioCheckbook.com in coming weeks as part of a continuing government transparency initiative being championed by Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel.

“I believe the people of Greene County have a right to know how their tax money is being spent, and I applaud local leaders here for partnering with my office to post the finances on OhioCheckbook.com,” Mandel said in a release. “By posting local government spending online, we are empowering taxpayers across Ohio to hold public officials accountable.”

The website allows interested parties to see individual payments made by a government entity over desired time periods. Data can also be viewed in interactive charts, downloaded or shared through email or social media.

State spending is available to view on the website currently as various local government entities – counties, cities, villages, school districts, libraries, special districts – are added. Of 3,962 such entities throughout the state, 185 had checkbooks available on the website as of Wednesday.

Entities within Greene County that had transactions available on OhioCheckbook.com as of Wednesday included Bath Township, Beavercreek Township, Caesarscreek Township, Jefferson Township, Miami Township, Sugarcreek Township and the Xenia Community School District.

“This initiative is all about power to the people,” said Mandel deputy chief of staff Eric Ochmanek. “OhioCheckbook.com is empowering an army of citizen watchdogs to help hold elected officials accountable. That means that people are going to get better decisions and more efficient government.”

Officials from Beavercreek schools, Spring Valley and the Ohio Treasurer’s Office announced the inclusion of the two checkbooks on OhioCheckbook.com Wednesday.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/01/web1_check1.jpgOfficials from Beavercreek schools, Spring Valley and the Ohio Treasurer’s Office announced the inclusion of the two checkbooks on OhioCheckbook.com Wednesday. Nathan Pilling | Greene County News

Ohio Treasurer Deputy Chief of Staff Eric Ochmanek demonstrates how to use OhioCheckbook.com at an event in Beavercreek Wednesday.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/01/web1_check2.jpg

Ohio Treasurer Deputy Chief of Staff Eric Ochmanek demonstrates how to use OhioCheckbook.com at an event in Beavercreek Wednesday. Nathan Pilling | Greene County News

By Nathan Pilling

[email protected]

Reach Nathan Pilling at 937-502-4498 or on Twitter @XDGNatePilling.