Transparency changes behavior. That’s the case whenever government information that ought to be public is brought into the light.
Under pressure, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the latest government agency to embrace a little more transparency.
After I announced my intent to object to Senate consideration of an agency nominee, HUD agreed to my longstanding request to release data on the top-paid salaries at each of the hundreds of public housing authorities across the country.
This disclosure is necessary. Too many housing authority executives exploit the lack of transparency and oversight to pad their own nests at the expense of those who need safe, affordable housing. These housing authorities receive billions of federal tax dollars to fulfill federal housing programs.
I’ve long pressed HUD to release salary data and require housing authorities to abide by a federal salary cap. Housing authorities routinely transfer federal funding to unrestricted accounts, including non-profit entities, and pay executives out of those funds to avoid violating the salary cap. Transparency will shed a light on that practice, which should not be allowed.
HUD promised to publish calendar year 2013 housing authority salary data on HUD’s website by May 16. The agency plans to release salary information for the top two paid employees at each housing authority. I’ll watch to make sure HUD follows through. Taxpayers should do the same.