Click that mouse and let the sunshine in.

If a consumer advocacy group has its way, Colorado state government will give its citizens that opportunity.

On Tuesday, Colorado Public Interest Research Group released a report that showed the state is making progress toward online transparency about how taxpayer dollars are used. Today, Colorado rates a "C" in CoPIRG's grading system, according to the report, "Following The Money: How The 50 States Rate in Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data."

"Colorado is one of the top emerging states," said Danny Katz, CoPIRG director.

Rep. Sal Pace, D-Pueblo, has proposed legislation that would move Colorado near the top of the transparency list. The bill, HB1350, calls for reporting and tracking of state tax subsidies and economic development incentives -- two areas where transparency is lacking here, according to CoPIRG's report.

"If Colorado improved in those two areas, (it) would vault to the second-highest score" under CoPIRG's rating system, Katz said.

At the zenith of online transparency is Kentucky, which offers a link on its Web site that names recipients of such benefits, gives their amounts and the objectives of such incentives, and indicates the number of jobs created by them and the associated wages.

Pace envisions similar features on Colorado's government Web site. He said it would have been beneficial to make informed decisions earlier in the session when numerous business tax exemptions were lifted to balance the budget, but the information wasn't readily available.

"We don't even know all the corporate tax exemptions, or who's getting them," Pace said.

The state business tax form, for instance, doesn't distinguish between, for example, the purchase of a corporate jet and providing child care for employees for tax-exemption purposes.

"The possibility for abuses are limitless," Pace said.

His bill would require annual reporting to the state of aspects such as corporate tax breaks, economic incentives, how many jobs they create and what they pay.

"Our constituents want government to be more accountable. They want more transparency," Pace said. "(The bill) ensures when we spend our taxpayer dollars, we're getting the most bang for our buck."

The bill's first stop will be before the House Finance Committee.

Read article at The Pueblo Chieftan web site