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03/15/2013

Santa Fe County Wins National Transparency Award

Santa Fe County Wins National Transparency Award

Santa Fe, NM – March 15, 2012 – The Sunshine Review, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to government transparency, released the winners of the fourth annual Sunny Awards this week and among the 2013 winners was Santa Fe County. The award honors the most transparent government websites in the nation. Santa Fe County received an A+ from the nonprofit organization. Santa Fe County received an A+ and Sunny Award in 2012 from the organization and an A in 2011.

“Santa Fe County understands the importance of transparency and is continuously working to promote and increase transparency. This would not be possible without the work of our Public Information Office and our dedicated staff. Santa Fe County is honored to receive a Sunny Award,” said Commissioner Daniel “Danny” Mayfield.

For the 2013 awards, Editors at Sunshine Review analyzed more than 1,000 qualifying government websites and graded each on a 10-point transparency checklist. Editors looked at content available on government websites against what should be provided. They sought information on items such as budgets, meetings, lobbying, financial audits, contracts, academic performance, public records and taxes. The winners of the Sunny Award all received an “A” grade during the extensive grading process. View the Santa Fe County Report Card at http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Santa_Fe_County,_New_Mexico%20.

The Sunny Awards announcement falls during the annual “Sunshine Week,” March 10-16, a period nationally recognized by hundreds of media and civic organizations, that celebrates the efforts of activists and the strides taken towards open government.

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Sunshine Review is a nonprofit organization dedicated to state and local government transparency. Sunshine Review collaborates with individuals and organizations throughout America in the cause of an informed citizenry and a transparent government. Since its inception in 2008, Sunshine Review has analyzed the websites of all 50 states and more than 7,000 state and local entities.