Overview
SpendMyTaxes was created as a civic engagement project to give U.S. taxpayers a voice in how the federal discretionary budget might be spent. The concept centered around transparency and public awareness, inviting individuals to submit their own budget allocations across key spending categories.
Client Goals
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Allow citizens to submit personalized federal budget allocations.
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Ensure one submission per user via IP address tracking (no accounts required).
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Present individual submissions in real-time using a visual pie chart.
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Aggregate national data and display trends across all participants.
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Deliver a simple, secure, and mobile-friendly user experience.
Our Solution
We built a fully custom WordPress platform using bespoke plugins to handle both data collection and visualization. Users anonymously submitted their discretionary budget preferences through a streamlined form interface. Their individual allocations were instantly rendered into a pie chart, offering immediate feedback. Behind the scenes, all submissions were securely stored and tracked by IP to ensure data integrity.
An aggregated display reflected real-time national trends, offering a powerful, visual snapshot of collective priorities—without compromising user anonymity.
Key Features
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Anonymous user submission with single-IP tracking logic
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Real-time pie chart visualization for both individual and group data
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Custom-built WordPress plugin to manage data input, storage, and rendering
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Lightweight, mobile-first design to encourage wide public access
Results
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Dozens of users engaged in early test rounds with zero duplicate entries
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Clean, accessible interface led to high completion rates on first visit
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The project sparked meaningful conversations around public spending and civic responsibility
