A Chicago-based nonprofit transparency watchdog declared victory on Aug. 25 in a years-long battle to expose more than $300 billion in California government spending, making it the 50th and final state to have its “checkbook” made public.
Unlike most of the other 49 states, however, California officials fought OpenTheBooks.com at every turn and would have succeeded in keeping government expenditures concealed from the state’s taxpayers but for the nonprofit’s determination.
