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Sunday, February 18, 2007

Not law but interesting - Indianapolis Star to feature databases

Indianapolis Star Editor Dennis Ryerson writes today :

It's no secret that you can learn a lot from numbers. But to do so, you need the numbers placed into context and in a form that provides some meaning.

The Star is starting to do just that with a new "Data Central" section of our Web site, IndyStar.com. You can find it in the "Essentials" box on the left side of our home page.

We've posted several databases in addition to state salary and NCAA. For example, on Data Central you can find a county map showing homicides that have taken place in Marion County this year. Click on a red dot on the map and you will learn the victim's name, the weapon used, the motive, and the date and specific location of the crime.

On Data Central you can find results of standardized testing for the state's schools, and a list of consumer protection litigation actions taken against businesses by the Indiana attorney general.
Our goal, beginning now, is to add at least one new database each week. In coming weeks you will see more crime data, real estate databases listing property sales and bankruptcies.

We, and you, will be examining State Police speeding ticket information. We, and you, will be looking at records involving concealed-weapons permits, and small-business loans, health-care information and campaign-finance information.

It's a long, seemingly endless list.

What database information would you be interested in? In what ways can we make that information meaningful to you?

I have two suggestions for Mr. Ryerson:

First, your state employee salaries database is very useful, as far as it goes. But it is based on June 30, 2006 figures. When will it be updated?

Oddly, the database does not contain the salaries of Ivy Tech employees, although it does appear to contain the other state universities. When will these employees be added?

Further, although you say the database contains the salaries of all three branches of state government, that is not correct. The salaries of the state senators and representatives are listed, but NOT the salaries of their staff, and NOT the salaries of the Legislative Services Agency employees. Why are these state employees omitted and when will they be added?

Second, you do not list the most useful database, in my opinion, the Star has ever provided - the Marion County property tax search. I still have the link because the ILB posted an entry on April 11, 2004, comparing the Star's database with those presented by papers in other areas of the state, some of which provide more information plus very useful tax calculators. Will you contain to maintain, update, and improve this property tax database?

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 18, 2007 09:50 AM
Posted to General News