Taxpayers for Common Sense
Taxpayers for Common Sense is a nonpartisan federal budget watchdog organization based in Washington, D.C. in the United States. TCS is a 501 non-profit organization; its 501 affiliate is Taxpayers for Common Sense Action. The current president of TCS is Steve Ellis. Founded in 1995 by Jill Lancelot and Rafael DeGennaro, TCS states that its mission is to ensure that the federal government spends taxpayer money efficiently and responsibly.
TCS creates complete databases of the earmarks that appear in Congressional spending bills. TCS is credited with labeling the Gravina Island Bridge proposal in Ketchikan, Alaska as the "Bridge to Nowhere."
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the group received $178,500 in federally backed small business loan from Citibank as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. Their loan was seen as notable, since they campaign against excess government spending and are small-government advocates. TCS said it was the first time they have accepted government money.
