New Yorkers have a right to know how their tax dollars are spent. Open Book New York is a project by the Office of the State Comptroller that gives taxpayers unprecedented access to how state and local governments are spending your tax dollars.

Easy-to-use online search tools identify spending for 3,100 local governments and more than 100 State agencies, and display more than 60,000 State contracts. These tools help taxpayers find out how much government spends on everything from travel and employees’ salaries to public safety and consultants. You can also search State contracts in real time to see who is doing business with the State.

First launched in June 2008, Open Book New York is designed for experienced government insiders and average New Yorkers. The site contains a glossary that defines all terms and a frequently asked questions section to help the end-user find an answer quickly. All the available data can be loaded as a PDF file or an Excel spreadsheet.

And there is more to come down the road. My office is working hard to make sure taxpayers get the best value for their tax dollars and that businesses have a level playing field to compete for opportunities.

Now more than ever, we need to make sure that every dime counts. The more New Yorkers know, the more efficient their government will be

Sincerely,

Thomas P. DiNapoli
State Comptroller