State Auditor Brian Sonntag launched a new website today that allows citizens to quickly find data on local government finances. Here is a summary of the new resource:

“Welcome to the new Local Government Finance Reporting System (LGFRS).  This site is designed to mirror the annual report data submitted to the State Auditor’s Office by local governments.  It includes unaudited data for all local governments . . .

The 2010 data is substantially completed and is not subject to change.  This release of LGFRS includes the following funds: General Fund, Special Revenues Funds, Debt Service Fund, Capital Project Fund, and Enterprise Fund.  Missing data may exist due to non-reporting of data or incorporations.  All local governments are required to report annually, however not all have done so.  Large Variances from year to year may be a result of annexations and incorporations of local governments.

To get started please visit the Report Menu page.”

Here is an example of the type of data available: (click here)

State financial data is available on www.fiscal.wa.gov.

###

[Reprinted from the Washington Policy Center blog]