Councilman Ricky Gonsoulin, right, speaks at an Iberia Parish Council meeting in March. Gonsoulin started a conversation in the Iberia Parish Council to provide more transparency for local residents.  

With the introduction of Louisiana Checkbook at this year’s Louisiana Legislative session, some Iberia Parish officials are trying to create similar ways of providing taxpayers more transparency with how money is spent in Iberia Parish Government. 

Iberia Parish Councilman Ricky Gonsoulin introduced a resolution in early July requesting parish administration to look into the feasibility of creating a “Your Iberia Parish Checkbook” program that would serve the same purpose as Louisiana Checkbook. However, the cost associated with starting such a system was too great to pay for in the short-term, it was determined. 

Louisiana Checkbook, which passed in July, is a website that state residents can access easily find how state funds are being spent. The website was modeled after the Ohio Checkbook, which has allowed state residents to track revenue and spending since the site was launched in 2014.

“I found it intriguing that the state would opt into the Louisiana Checkbook,” Gonsoulin said Tuesday afternoon. “Following the state’s lead, I think the local level should consider more transparency and making things easily accessible.

“So with that thought process, I thought an Iberia Checkbook would create more transparency for our constituents.”

With the rollout of Iberia Parish Government’s new website, local residents are able to find items like IPG’s consolidated budget for the fiscal year but, Gonsoulin said, the information may be hard to digest for those who don’t look at parish finances daily. 

“If you go the new website you can get a consolidated budget, but if you’re not in parish government every day it’s pretty difficult to understand,” Gonsoulin said. “I just want to simplify it so that people can address their concerns before they talk to a council member.”

Instead of an Iberia Parish Checkbook program, one of the alternatives presented has been creating an in-house system that would enhance the existing parish website. 

Parish President said OpenGov, the program that would have to be used for an Iberia Checkbook, could cost up to $50,000. 

IPG uses Citizen Transparency to show fiscal documents on its website.

“Whether we choose to go with a company or with something in-house, the thing that matters is being transparent with taxpayer money,” Gonsoulin said.

Iberia Parish President Larry Richard’s suggestion aligned with that. Richard said he wants to submit quarterly reports of Iberia Parish Government’s major funds to the IPG website, like the general and royalty funds. 

“This is being as transparent as we can be,” Richard said. “We’re trying to share everything we can.”