Governor Paterson Announces New Interactive Features to Office of Taxpayer Accountability Website



April 13, 2010

New Features Include Taxpayer Input/Discussion Page, Twitter and Facebook

 

Governor David A. Paterson today announced that his Office of Taxpayer Accountability (OTA) has added several new interactive Information Technology (IT) features to its website, including a taxpayer discussion page called “Straight Talk from the Taxpayer,” which allows taxpayers to submit, discuss, and vote on their own ideas to cut government spending and streamline government operations. The new features also include access to Twitter and Facebook accounts for the OTA to increase communication among New York’s taxpayers. These new features can be accessed on the OTA website home page.

 

“New Economy businesses are using interactive web-based IT to generate innovative ideas directly from their customers. Our customers – the hard-working taxpayers of New York – should also have a say in the way we spend taxpayer dollars and provide services,” Governor Paterson said. “I look forward to having this new source of ideas and insight in my Administration’s efforts to reform and streamline State and local government.”

 

The new web features added to the OTA website include the following:

  • “Straight Talk from the Taxpayer:” This interactive feature allows taxpayers to offer new ideas to cut costs and streamline government operations; discuss those ideas publicly with one another; and vote ideas up or down. The OTA will review the ideas and the public feedback, and take action on the ones that show promise. This feature can be found here.
  • Twitter/Facebook: The OTA established Twitter and Facebook accounts to provide an opportunity for more widespread and regular communication with taxpayers. To follow the OTA on Twitter, click here. To become a fan of the OTA Facebook page, click here.
  • EmpireStat Web Page: This year, Governor Paterson launched a new, data-driven government performance and accountability system called EmpireStat where taxpayers will be able to monitor EmpireStat’s work and progress through monthly reports and other information and data posted on this web page. Access to this feature, click here.

 

Governor Paterson created the OTA in June 2009 to save taxpayer dollars and provide property tax relief to local taxpayers. The Governor directed the OTA to shrink government, reduce costs, eliminate waste, and increase transparency and accountability. Several OTA reforms were included in the Governor’s 2010-2011 Executive Budget, including agency consolidations, mergers, shared services and mandate relief reform.

 

Director of State Operations Valerie Grey said: “Taxpayer input and government transparency are critical as we work on the most important budget in New York State history. These web features provide a transparent portal for taxpayers to not only learn about the State’s budget, but to actively participate in Governor Paterson’s fiscal reforms.”