The Taxpayers Protection Alliance announced on Mar. 24 the launch of a three-billboard campaign in Baltimore supporting Inspector General Isabel Cumming in her dispute with Mayor Brandon Scott over access to public records.
The organization said the campaign is meant to highlight the importance of open government and accountability, especially as legislation in the state legislature—SB 991 and HB 1620—would ensure inspectors general have access to necessary records for investigating waste, fraud, and abuse.
“Transparency is not optional—it’s fundamental to good governance,” said David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. “Inspector General Cumming is standing up for taxpayers and the rule of law by insisting that records be made available to the watchdog’s office. We’re proud to support her efforts and to remind elected officials that accountability doesn’t end when it becomes inconvenient.”
According to its website, Washington D.C.-based Taxpayers Protection Alliance Foundation is a non-profit organization that advocates for government transparency through educating the public with research, investigative reporting, and analysis about excessive taxation and spending at all levels of government. The group was founded in 2011, and Williams serves as its current president.
The billboard initiative seeks to raise awareness about independent oversight and urges city leadership to stop what it calls a misguided effort against the Inspector General’s office.
