GASP! Banks Records Could Soon Be Online

Records of contracts and money spent on The Banks riverfront project could soon be online under a program proposed by Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine last week.

The Government Accountability in Spending Program (G.A.S.P.) is a county-take on a federal and state program to give taxpayers access to records showing how their money was spent.

DeWine said he hopes The Banks records will be among the first to be included.

Commissioners will schedule a work session to see how feasible the program will be to implement. And Commission President Todd Portune, who likes the idea of the program, had a suggestion: change the name.

"GASP is sort of comical," he said, as the audience tittered in agreement. "It's like (Portune gave a real gasp for emphasis). "t just has this connotation of people late at night in front of their computer screen saying 'Oh my gosh! Look at what I've discovered!' I think it takes away from the idea."

DeWine said he would be agreeable to a name change.