The city's new tool allows users to chose the type of graph they want to see and allows users to easily find the information they seek. The city's new tool allows users to chose the type of graph they want to see and allows users to easily find the information they seek.[/caption]

The city of McKinney received the Platinum Leadership Circle Award from the Texas Comptroller for exceeding requirements for financial transparency online by opening financial records to the public.  The online tools give residents clear and consistent pictures of spending, and shares information in a user-friendly format, according to city officials.

The award is the highest designation for financial transparency given by the state comptroller.

“We have a high responsibility as stewards of public resources. This award validates our efforts to achieve a high level of financial transparency so residents can easily understand how their tax dollars are spent,” Budget Manager Mark Holloway said in a news release.

To continue its financial transparency efforts, the city also launched interactive tool Monday to make financial information easier for residents to access and understand. The interactive feature also assists city staff when presenting budget and financial information to city officials and residents. Records can be found through OpenGov on the city's website on its “open government” page.

The program aims to improve the overall financial transparency of the city by providing data that can be sorted based on user interests. Users can now find graphs and charts that are easy to understand as well as some commonly requested reports are already saved, such as financial data from the McKinney National Airport, according to city officials. The tool will continue to be updated in the coming months.

“We are really proud to offer this new tool that empowers our residents to find the information they are looking for in an easily accessible way. A wide range of financial data is loaded to the site monthly, allowing visibility into virtually every city budgetary item,” Chief Financial Officer Rodney Rhoades said in a news release.

For information, visit www.mckinneytexas.org.