County puts

If you believe there's no such thing as too much information, then you'll be happy to learn that Manatee County is putting even more online.

The county put online its budget information, including its Capital Improvement Program and Decision Units book, huge printed tomes that commissioners use for background information and during meetings. Reporters could request paper copies but were also able to download them to laptops for their own reference and to avoid suffering from hernias while carrying them from place to place.

Now, the "tab book" is available online. The one for Tuesday's County Commission meeting is a 1,435-page PDF file of 290 MB, and it includes enough information to keep government and policy wonks entertained for weeks while the commission takes a break before its next meeting.

The tab book and more are available for free at the county's Web site.