California has launched ByTheNumbers.sco.ca.gov, a website designed to give citizens easy access to financial data for every city and county in the state.
The website, launched by Controller John Chiang, will eventually contain data for all of the more than 100 pension funds in California. That data will include investment returns, administrative costs, assets and liabilities.
From the Fresno Bee:
ByTheNumbers.sco.ca.gov allows taxpayers to track revenues, expenditures, liabilities, assets, fund balances and other information provided by more than 450 cities and the 58 counties statewide. The data runs from fiscal year 2002-03 through 2012-13.
Controller John Chiang, who is running for state treasurer, said in a statement that the website is moving government information “out of the analog dark ages into the digital era.”
The website allows users to download raw figures, convert them into charts and share the information freely. Chiang’s office said the data will be refreshed each year with updates sent in by local governments.
Chiang is a member of the boards of both major California pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS.