How it works, in plain English
- Start with official data. Colorado already adopts its budget each year in the Long Bill and reports spending through the State Controller's TOPS site, where the data can be downloaded by anyone.[1][2]
- Take a unique digital seal. The records are run through math that produces a short, unique code. Change even one cent and the code changes.
- Post the seal publicly. That code is posted to public blockchains with a timestamp. No one can quietly edit it later, and no single company controls it.
- Anyone can check. A simple page lets any Coloradan look up a payment and confirm it matches the official record.
Beyond the spreadsheet
Colorado already publishes the plan and a great deal of spending. We want to go further: connect budget lines to actual payments in plain English, so any Coloradan can follow a public dollar from appropriation to agency to program to payment. That is how Colorado can lead the nation in fiscal transparency.
The path ahead
- Phase 1 : Prove today's records. Seal official public spending data on-chain and share a working demonstration anyone can check.
- Phase 2 : Connect plan to payment. Link Long Bill lines to the payments that flow from them, in language every Coloradan can follow.
- Phase 3 : A searchable public trail. Make that full dollar path easy to open, read, and trust for every family in Colorado.
What stays off-chain
Personal and confidential information never goes on-chain. Only public records, and their digital seals, are published.
What we're doing now
We're building a working demonstration using Colorado's own public spending data, and sharing what we learn in plain language. The state's existing accounting systems stay just as they are; this approach adds a public layer of proof on top.
Proven ideas
Governments have already tested this approach. Cook County, Illinois used file sealing to secure land records in a 2016-17 pilot.[3]
Sources
- JBC Long Bill Narrative FY 2026-27: https://spl.cde.state.co.us/artemis/gaserials/ga310internet/ga310202627internet.pdf
- Office of the State Controller / TOPS: https://osc.colorado.gov/financial-operations/financial-reports
- Cook County Recorder of Deeds, Blockchain Pilot Final Report (2017): https://medium.com/the-illinois-blockchain-initiative/blockchain-cook-county-final-report-1f56ab3bf89
Frequently asked questions
How does the digital seal work?
Official public records are run through math that produces a short, unique code (a digital seal). That seal is posted to public blockchains with a timestamp. Change even one cent and the code changes, so anyone can check that the record still matches.
What does beyond the spreadsheet mean?
Colorado already publishes the plan and a great deal of spending. Beyond the spreadsheet means connecting budget lines to actual payments in plain English, so any Coloradan can follow a public dollar from appropriation to agency to program to payment.
What stays off-chain?
Personal and confidential information never goes on-chain. Only public records, and their digital seals, are published.
What is the path ahead?
Phase 1 seals today's official public spending data on-chain. Phase 2 connects plan to payment by linking Long Bill lines to the payments that flow from them. Phase 3 makes that full dollar path searchable and easy to trust for every family in Colorado.