Lawmakers and watchdog groups want to make it easier for you to learn more about the personal finances of the state's elected officials.
Elected officials and state agency directors must file forms to help expose and prevent any possible conflicts of interest and anyone can view the financial disclosure documents because they are public record. But they are not available online, the Connecticut Post reports.
So, some people want a new law to make it easier for the public to get these documents.
Currently, the system is open, but it's cumbersome. You can only view copies of these personal finance reports at the Office of State Ethics.
And, critics claim, the reports are full of generalities and contain only limited specifics on officials' incomes and debts, the Post reports.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell told the Post she is also frustrated about the limited access and would support legislation making it easier for the public to see these documents.
To help fill the gap a new Web site, The Connecticut Mirror, has launched, providing a new place to find more information about Connecticut's government, politics and public policy. The journalists there have looked into who has an elected official on the payroll, broken up by profession.
