Morgan, Howard, Platte and Clark counties are the latest to join the Missouri Treasurer's Local Government Checkbook, bringing total participation in the spending transparency program to 33 counties.
The Local Government Checkbook makes county spending data available to taxpayers through an interactive and searchable online system. State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced the four counties were added to the system Tuesday.
The addition of Morgan and Howard counties brings the number of participating Mid-Missouri counties to seven. Cole, Callaway, Moniteau, Miller and Cooper counties were already participating.
The Local Government Checkbook details how much participating counties have spent on expenditures, departments and vendors.
Morgan County spent nearly $13.7 million in 2019 and more than $16.2 million in 2020, according to the Checkbook. The bulk of expenditures in both years came out of the county's school districts fund, but federal COVID-19 relief provided the second most funds in 2020.
About 65 percent of Morgan County's 2020 budget went to various county disbursements. A little more than 7 percent -- $1.2 million -- went to the sheriff's office and more than 6 percent -- $1.02 million -- went to road and bridge expenses.
Howard County spent more than $4.7 million in 2019 and more than $6.3 million in 2020, according to the Local Government Checkbook. Transitional funds to smaller governments in the county made up about a third of the county's total budget in both years.
After transitional funds, other county government expenses made up 15.5 percent -- $986,395 -- of the 2020 budget while road and bridge construction made up more than 14 percent -- $903,109.
Fitzpatrick began adding local governments to the Show-Me Checkbook, which details state expenditures and cash flow, in 2020. The system has also been expanded to detail COVID-19 funds flowing into the state.
His office has used Sunshine Law requests to obtain expenditure data from counties that haven't voluntarily agreed to participate in the Local Government Checkbook.
"Over the past four years, I have worked to improve transparency at all levels of government because I believe transparency leads to better government," Fitzpatrick, the Republican candidate for state auditor, said in a news release. "There is no question that with unprecedented spending levels across government, knowing how those dollars are being spent will help build and restore trust in government. This continues to be a priority of mine and I am grateful to our partners in county governments who have worked with my office to make the Local Government Checkbook a useful tool for Missouri taxpayers."
The full list of local governments participating in the Checkbook include: the counties of Buchanan, Butler, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cass, Clark, Clay, Cole, Cooper, Dallas, Franklin, Greene, Hickory, Howard, Jackson, Jasper, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Platte, Randolph, St. Charles, St. Louis, Vernon, Webster and Worth, and the City of St. Louis.
The Treasurer's Office will continue adding county expenditure data to the system as it becomes available.