Nevada’s Pursuit of Open Government

When it comes to strengthening relationships between residents and government, transparency is key. Informing the public about government activities, performance, and spending not only increases public trust and engagement, but also empowers residents to make informed decisions.

In Nevada, state dedication to open government is transforming the way residents engage with and understand state finances. In 2024, the State Controller’s Office launched the Open Finance Portal — a platform that allows residents to access detailed information about state spending, providing insight into how taxpayer dollars are utilized.

Nevada State Controller Andy Matthews offers insight into Nevada’s goals, processes, and outcomes for other states that may be considering an open government initiative.

Fostering Public Trust and Engagement

Nevada’s Open Finance Portal provides taxpayers with unprecedented access to detailed information on government expenditures. “When we’re talking about government spending, we’re talking about taxpayer money,” Matthews said. “And taxpayers deserve to know how and where their government is spending those dollars.”

Government transparency not only fosters a more knowledgeable community; it also encourages trust and engagement between the public and state government. With more information readily available, residents are better equipped to make informed decisions.

Streamlining Government Operations

Beyond resident engagement, Matthews notes, a commitment to transparency can also benefit government personnel by improving data management and increasing operational efficiencies.

“It’s all subject to public records requests,” says Matthews. “And absent the state being proactive and providing that information, what ends up happening is those in state government who work in various agencies have to be reactive when a public records request comes in. And you’re constantly having to provide that information, because under the law, you have to — as you should.”

When Nevada launched its Open Finance Portal, officials estimated the platform would reduce public records requests by 75%. “A lot of the tedious work that needs to be done in complying with these requests can be eliminated if the information is out there proactively,” Matthews notes.

Hear the Conversation With the Controller

Nevada State Controller Andy Matthews shared the state’s journey to financial transparency on the Tyler Tech Podcast.

Evaluating State Goals and Resources

Still, before embarking upon an open government initiative, Matthews highlights the importance of evaluating current state needs, goals, and capabilities. Says Matthews, “Really make sure that you are serious about assessing where you are today as a state, what your needs are, what your needs are going to be, and where your shortcomings may be.”

Identifying and leveraging the digital solution that best aligns with a state’s resources and goals is critical, Matthews notes. Among other factors, states might consider identifying key project stakeholders, assessing current technological capabilities, and evaluating available resources.

“Nevada’s Open Finance Portal project fit within the scope of an ongoing ERP project that the state actually began six or seven years ago to upgrade and modernize its financial and HR system,” Matthews said. “So for us, it was also a matter of recognizing an opportunity — not starting from square one. We were really excited to find out that we could actually do this as part of something the state was already committed to.”

Partnering With a Trusted Provider

When planning for its Open Finance Portal, Nevada needed a partner with a proven track record that could help bring the state’s vision to life. “We wanted to make sure that this was going to be really user-friendly, something that we could put out there where the information that we provided was going to be accessible to the state, to the state’s taxpayers, the people who are going to be using it,” says Matthews.

“And [we also wanted to] make sure that we were working with a partner that demonstrated the ability to do it well. We knew that Tyler was a company that already had some successes in this space. So, we decided this was going to be a really good match.”

Considering Future Possibilities

Now that the Open Finance Portal is live, Matthews is interested in exploring similar initiatives at the local level. “I’m excited to help [local governments] figure out where they can go to get those resources,” says Matthews. “I think we can really expand on some of the successes that we’ve had [at the state level]. There’s a lot more than can be done.”