Introduction: promoting greater transparency and measuring performance can help restore America's trust in the public sector.(Forum: Transparency, Performance Management and the Public Trust)(Conference news)

Over the last four decades, the public's trust in government in the United States has fallen dramatically due to an unusual confluence of contributing factors. Scandal after scandal has rocked Washington, DC, and many state capitals; governments have failed miserably in response both to crises and to long-term problems affecting American citizens; and political competition has been increasingly marked by polarization, gridlock, and toxic attack politics. One of the central problems undercutting Americans' trust in their public institutions has been the secrecy pervading many important aspects of government, which fuels corruption, abuse of power, and a lack of accountability for officials' mistakes. Consequently, promoting much greater openness or transparency in government has become one of the major strategies for restoring the public trust in the United States.

The Symposium on Advancing Excellence and Public Trust in Government that was held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on September 17, 2007, was sponsored by three organizations with complementary perspectives on the topic of transparency and the public trust. The Center for Governmental Services at Auburn University is developing the National Transparency Institute, the National Endowment for The Public Trust is dedicated to restoring trust and confidence in our government and country, and the Washington Center coordinates the premier internship program in our national capital. Their partnership reflects a common interest in and commitment to public service and governmental reform.

Forum Overview

The discussion at the symposium revolved around several broad themes. One concerned transparency about government operations per se, such as how decisions are made and the nature of detailed budgets. Another and somewhat broader theme concerned greater transparency of "performance measures," which involves the effects of specific policies and how effective or efficient government agencies are. The articles in this forum have been adapted from presentations made at the symposium and are organized around these distinct themes. The forum highlights challenges surrounding transparency in government operations and the use of performance measures.

Promoting Transparency

The consensus at the symposium was that transparency in government is extremely desirable, needs to be improved, will bring reform and improvement to the public sector, and should make a major contribution to the restoration of the public trust in the United States. Support for improved transparency can be found across the political spectrum, as both conservatives and liberals believe that more openness in government will promote parts of their very different policy agendas. Accordingly, the forum considers how increased transparency can help and at times get in the way of effective and efficient government.

Downside