The Jefferson County Transparency Initiative grew from a desire to create a more accessible and citizen-centric government that fosters communication, accountability and trust. By taking advantage of technology, our county leaders see the Transparency Initiative as another opportunity for government and citizens to work together in shaping the future of the county. We want citizens to be able to learn about the priorities of their county officials, see how the county is spending their tax money, and be encouraged to participate in two-way communication about their thoughts and priorities for the county.  While the BCC and other elected officials knew of the possible political vulnerabilities of such information being made easily available to the public, they all chose to approve the project, because they recognized that it was in the best interest of the county’s citizens.

This case study was submitted to the Alliance for Innovation for consideration at the 2010 Transforming Local Government conference.