From fraud and bribery to blurred ethical lines in government circles, Illinois has a political history smeared with corruption. It’s a system that historically has been known more for trying to keep secrets than pushing for transparency.

But amid the cries from the public and the call from President Barack Obama, a Chicago native, for governments to be more open, local leaders have launched initiatives for citizens to see where exactly government money goes.

The latest effort comes from Cook County, Ill., which put its check register online at the county’s Web site, www.cookcounty.gov, a move that will not only allow the public to track local tax dollars, but could create a wave of similar transparency measures across the state.

Read the entire article at govtech.com.