Comptroller Kevin Lembo Archive > News
COMPTROLLER LEMBO ELECTED TO CONNECTICUT FOUNDATION FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT'S BOARD OF DIRECTORSComptroller Kevin Lembo today was elected to the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Foundation for Open Government, Inc. (CFOG) following his efforts to promote greater access to state financial information, including state economic assistance programs.
CFOG is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting open and accountable government essential in a democratic society. It seeks to achieve this by educating policymakers and citizens in general on the need for a free flow of information on all public policy matters.
"I have a great interest in the mission and work that the Connecticut Foundation for Open Government promotes," Lembo said. "As State Comptroller, I look forward to serving on the Board and developing new ways to bring the public closer to its state government, and improving access to state financial and other data."
Attorney Daniel J. Klau, president of CFOG, said, "The Foundation is thrilled that Mr. Lembo has joined our board. His passion for public service is only matched by his demonstrated commitment to the principals of open and transparent government."
CFOG was founded in 1991 by citizens of Connecticut interested in promoting open government and the public's right to know. Its Board of Directors includes individuals from the media, academe, the law, business and government.
Over the past two years, Lembo has pursued various open government initiatives, including the launch of "Open Connecticut" - and online hub of state financial data (at osc.ct.gov/openct). The site aggregates state financial information such as state budgets, state borrowing data, actuarial reports and other information that the public, academics and the media may have an interest in.
"State financial data has historically been available - but scattered across agencies, and often difficult to track down. Open Connecticut is a first step, but work in progress, towards making such key information more publicly accessible," Lembo said.
Lembo also proposed legislation this year, House Bill 6566, An Act Concerning Transparency in Economic Assistance, which sought to establish an online searchable database for economic assistance programs and state tax credits. The bill was unanimously passed by the state House of Representatives, but the state Senate failed to raise the bill.
As a member of CFOG, Lembo hopes to build on these efforts and continue to promote greater public access to government data.