According to www.recovery.gov, yesterday was the first day that federal agencies in receipt of recovery (which I suppose is how we're trying to brand the stimulus these days--well done) funds start to be obligated to report in a transparent manner how the money is being spent.
The site is pretty basic (I've copied the mission statement below) but I'm very interested in seeing how it evolves, as promised, over time. As people can interact with the site and how the money is flowing I hope that not only will it have a positive effect on limiting waste, but also almost a placebo effect on making us all feel that something is changing for the better.
Perhaps this degree of transparency + accountability should be added to Andrew Cuomo's lessons from yesterday's post?
Our Mission
- Education: Explain the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act;
- Transparency: Show how, when, and where the money is spent;
- Accountability: Provide data that will allow citizens to evaluate the Act’s progress and provide feedback.
Read the rest of the mission statement after the jump.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an
unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions
of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges
so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Recovery
and Reinvestment Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike
any since the Great Depression. With much at stake, the Act provides
for unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability so that you
will be able to know how, when, and where your tax dollars are being
spent. Spearheaded by a new Recovery Board, this Act contains built-in
measures to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending.
This website, Recovery.gov, will be the main vehicle to provide each
and every citizen with the ability to monitor the progress of the
recovery.
As the centerpiece of the President’s commitment
to transparency and accountability, Recovery.gov will feature
information on how the Act is working, tools to help you hold the
government accountable, and up-to-date data on the expenditure of funds.
The site will include information about Federal grant awards and
contracts as well as formula grant allocations. Federal agencies will
provide data on how they are using the money, and eventually, prime
recipients of Federal funding will provide information on how they are
using their Federal funds. On our end, we will use interactive
graphics to illustrate where the money is going, as well as estimates
of how many jobs are being created, and where they are located. And
there will be search capability to make it easier for you to track the
funds.
The first incarnation of Recovery.gov features projections for how,
when, and where the funds will be spent -- which states and sectors of
the economy are due to receive what proportion of the funds. As money
starts to flow, far more data will become available.
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