Tracking How Darien Spends Its Tax Dollars Becomes Easier

DARIEN, CT — Town officials are making it easier for Darien residents to track how government spends taxpayer dollars under a new partnership with OpenGov, a government management software company.

Launched earlier this week, Open Darien's goal is "to engage and inform the community and stakeholders through transparent and effective communication using modern technology," according to officials.

"Taxpayer stewardship is a fundamental goal of my administration," said First Selectman Jayme Stevenson in a statement. "OpenGov technology will allow Darien taxpayers to see, in real time, how their tax dollars are being invested, creating a critical accountability link between our community and local government. Darien has a long history of substantive public engagement in policy-making and local budget planning. I’m proud to announce the launch of our OpenGov platform and raise the transparency bar to a new best-practice standard for government accountability in Darien."

The platform is powered by OpenGov’s trade-marked Smart Government Cloud, which "allows residents to track government spending and makes it easier for public officials to share complex financial and performance data online, in simple, understandable reports. The new software enables more transparent and effective governance and informed decision-making."

Added Darien Finance Director Jennifer Charneski, "Darien is excited about our partnership with OpenGov, and the immediate improvements this new platform can bring to our town. Through this new site, we will be able to make budgeting and decision making more efficient and effective, and most importantly, better communicate with Darien residents."

Darien’s new OpenGov platform empowers government officials and staff to conduct better analysis and performance measurement by improving access to key financial and non-financial data. The platform also allows residents to view, filter and analyze prior year, current year-to-date and next year budget data, building greater trust in government and facilitating civic engagement. The public can download the data to review, and share over email and social media.

Darien, a town of 20,000 in Fairfield County, joins a growing number of local governments nationwide who rely on OpenGov’s next generation cloud software. The City of Boston recently launched its updated Open Data platform, “Analyze Boston” supported by the OpenGov Smart Government Cloud, and both the City of Newport and the City of Phoenix recently announced their own transparency efforts propelled by OpenGov.

"We’re excited to partner with Darien to harness the power of technology to increase government effectiveness and accountability," said OpenGov CEO Zac Bookman. "Whether purchasing office supplies or funding a major infrastructure project, public officials will be able to easily report and track financial information, and local residents will be able to see how their tax dollars are being spent."

About OpenGov

OpenGov is the leader in government performance management, with easy-to-use cloud software for better budgeting, improved operational intelligence, and comprehensive open data. OpenGov solutions give governments the right tools and relevant data for more informed decision-making and better outcomes for the public.

Over 1,500 public agencies in 48 states are part of the growing OpenGov network. Founded in 2012, OpenGov customers include the State Treasurer of Ohio, the city of Minneapolis, MN; Maricopa County, AZ; and Washington, DC. OpenGov is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Emerson Collective, 8VC, and Thrive Capital and has headquarters in Redwood City, CA.