Lee County Clerk and Comptroller Kevin Karnes says “In an effort to promote transparency in government spending,” he’s launching a new website detailing how county tax dollars are being managed and spent.
The new site, called the Sand Dollar Snapshot, allows users to view live, multi-year financial data from the Clerk, Board of County Commissioners, and Port Authority without the need for public records requests. It went live this week and can be found HERE
“We are so excited to lead our industry by creating the Sand Dollar Snapshot, and I couldn’t be prouder of this website and how it promotes accountability and transparency in government spending,” said Clerk Karnes. “I have been working hard to grow the role of Comptroller. It is an extremely important part of serving as Lee County’s Clerk and Comptroller, and as the county’s Chief Financial Officer, I believe we owe it to our community to shine a light on how tax dollars are being spent.”
The site features information on major revenue data, such as ad valorem property tax, tourist development tax, and investment revenue. It also provides data on the county’s debt and expenses.
The Sand Dollar Snapshot displays near real-time data from both the current and previous fiscal years. This allows the public to track Lee County government spending 24/7, from anywhere in the world.
On Thursday, February 26, from 2-3 p.m., Clerk Karnes is hosting an online class for anyone who would like a walkthrough of the website. The free class will help attendees learn how to best utilize the site by teaching them all about available features and helpful navigation tips, the different types of financial reports available, how to navigate each financial report, and much more. Visit www.leeclerk.org/events to register.