I'm designer for OpenGov, we're an a16z-backed startup that's doing precisely this: the usability and simplicity of consumer apps to the world of government fin

I'm designer for OpenGov, we're an a16z-backed startup that's doing precisely this: the usability and simplicity of consumer apps to the world of government finance. So far, we have a financial transparency product available to cities. Check out Palo Alto's site on OpenGov: http://paloalto.opengov.com http://paloalto.opengov.com. Transparency visualizations for the public are one thing, but one of our ultimate goals is to positively impact the civic financial planning. Keep an eye on OpenGov.