Take a look at the official website of the Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel, and you’ll be invited to check out OhioCheckbook.com, the state’s searchable, online checkbook detailing all of the state’s spending.

And Mandel is now urging all local governments in the state to follow suit and open their checkbooks to public scrutiny (“Ohio Cities, Counties Urged to Put Checkbook Online“).

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel is drafting a letter to all 3,900 cities, counties and school districts in Ohio offering to help them follow his lead and document every penny they spend on a user-friendly website — at no charge.

If they ignore the offer, Mandel says they can expect a phone call from his office. If they still ignore him, he plans to propose ordinances or push local governments to open their books.

“If they ignore all those things, I’m going to start showing up at city council meetings and school board meetings, and I’m going to demand that these local government officials put the finances online because the people have the right to know,” Mandel said in a recent interview with the I-Team.

Then check out OpenGov.com, which seems to be landing lots of contracts to provide transparency for local governments.

Hawaii needs to catch up.