District 46 plans online money tracker

Grayslake Elementary District 46 plans to make it easier for someone to track how it spends public money.

District 46 Superintendent Ellen Correll said Monday an easy-to-find check register will be available online beginning sometime this month or in March. District 46 will join a smattering of other suburban school systems' Web sites with such information.

"It's just a sign of the times," Correll said.

Officials discussed the online check register at a recent District 46 board meeting after the issue was raised by Joseph Calomino, director of the Americans for Prosperity Illinois chapter. Americans for Prosperity is a self-described bipartisan government watchdog group.

Calomino, who spoke to officials at last week's school board meeting, said he hopes District 46 follows through with creation of a check register for its Web site. He requested the register in a letter to the district late last year.

"Again," Calomino said, "the prevailing view should be that a state citizenry that has seen more than its share of wasteful, extravagant spending in all forms of government, not to mention corruption, should be given a chance to see for themselves how their wages that go to taxes are being spent."

Correll said the check register will be posted on the board of education and business office sections of District 46's Web site. She said certain personal information won't be available, such as anything identifying students.

Americans for Prosperity's Illinois branch has been pushing for online check registers at various local government units. Calomino said a check number, payee, date, dollar amount and purpose should be provided to the public.

Correll said the idea of posting the checks at District 46 surfaced in 2006. She said Americans for Prosperity helped to bring the issue back to the front burner.

Lyons Township High School District 204 and Cary Elementary District 26 are among the few suburban systems with updated postings of checks.

Some District 46 residents sought assistance from Americans for Prosperity after the organization hosted an event about rising property taxes in Grayslake in November. Calomino said the group intends to continue monitoring spending by local government in Lake County.