If you’ve ever looked at your utility bill or property taxes and thought “Where does all this go?”… same. And inquiring minds want to know.
So I decided to find out. Over the past few months, I’ve gone full Nancy Drew on Clayton’s spending records while reviewing thousands of transactions, covering hundreds of vendors, and discovering some very interesting receipts.
Some of the spending is exactly what you’d expect for a well-run town: fire trucks, road work, keeping the lights on. But other items… well, they make you stop and read the line twice.
Here are just a few examples that caught my eye:
- $230,000+ on food & catering — I hope somebody brought leftovers.
- Tens of thousands on swag — is there a Town of Clayton merch store we don’t know about?
- A five-figure Canva bill (yes, really) — for those unfamiliar, Canva is a design tool that also has a free version.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be breaking down the highlights (and lowlights) in this series, one receipt at a time. My goal is simple: to make sure the people footing the bill actually know what’s on it.
Because transparency shouldn’t require a magnifying glass and three pots of coffee. It should be clear, accessible, and part of everyday governance.
Follow the Series: This is the first entry in Dollars & Sense: Clayton. I’ll link future posts here so you can easily catch up on past installments.