Watchdog group: Atlanta fails when it comes to spending transparency
City says it will review group’s finding but Atlanta’s making strides
Atlanta was one of five U.S. cities to earn an “F” grade for its spending transparency practices.
The grade came in a report issued by the Georgia Public Interest Research Group, a consumer advocacy group, which looked at the ways cities offer “comprehensive, one-stop, one-click budget accountability and accessibility” to their respective residents.
“Without this checkbook level of transparency, we’re kind of in the dark about which companies or even non-profits are receiving our taxpayer dollars,” says Laura Murray, a PIRG advocate, to WABE.
You can see PIRG’s full grades - which also include failing cities such as Detroit, St. Louis, Sacramento, and Cleveland - after the jump. We also chatted with Mayor Kasim Reed’s office about the findings.