A petition for greater transparency and accountability from all three branches of the Michigan Government is a step closer to hold a spot on the November ballot. Citizens will take matters into their own hands to require, among several measures, disclosure of elected official's salaries and assets.

As the validity of half-million signatures awaits verification by the Michigan Secretary of State, the petition crafted by the Reform Michigan Government Now (RMGN) continues to gain traction among citizens who want to take action on their frustrations over how deeply dissatisfied they are with their state government.

If qualified, the petition will primarily require elected officials from all branches of government, including their spouses, to release their salaries and assets to the public. In addition, the measure bans all elected officials from lobbying for two years after they leave office. Lastly, the salaries of top government officials and judges will also be affected by the reforms, calling for a salary reduction of 25 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

The move by the RMGN to increase transparency in the state complements recent initiatives by the Michigan Secretary of State and Attorney General who have already disclosed their office's expenditures online. Although the Governor has publicly been called on to disclose the state's checkbooks and legislation to create an online spending transparency database is at a standstill, it is expected that more open government organizations will be inspired to replicate the same efforts by the RMGN and allow citizens to play a greater role in making fiscal transparency a reality in their states.