Governments at all levels often contrive to spend money in ways that make it hard for the citizens to find out what’s happening. Public officials may pay lip service to “transparency,” but they prefer cloudiness.

In today’s Martin Center article, Jenna Robinson looks at one such instance: NCInnovation.

First, what is it? Robinson writes, “The Raleigh News & Observer describes the public-private partnership thusly: ‘NCInnovation aspires to create a massive endowment to help researchers at UNC System schools convert their ideas into revenue-generating businesses.’”

Oh, oh — government funding of business. That’s often been a source of waste. This is promised to be accountable. “But,” Robinson continues, “there are problems with that promise. NCInnovation lacks some essential oversight mechanisms. Unlike other university units, it does not report to the UNC Board of Governors but to its own board. It is also exempt from North Carolina’s open meetings and public records laws.”

Governments should stick to functions such as protecting individual rights and settling disputes and stay out of the business of innovation.