Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following Maryland’s top-in-the-nation status for economic stimulus reporting by Good Jobs First, a non-profit research center based in Washington, DC. The report, titled “Show Us the Stimulus,” ranks Maryland number one in the nation for best reporting of spending from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The study examined the quality and quantity of disclosure by state websites on the many ways ARRA funding is flowing through state governments to communities, organizations and individuals. Looking at both spending programs and individual projects, it evaluates the general ARRA websites that all states have created as well as the reporting specifically on highway projects, ranking Maryland’s number one in the nation.
“President Obama acted swiftly upon taking office by crafting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and Maryland responded by immediately launching a tool for the public to track every penny that will come to Maryland, what it will be used for, where it is spent, and how many jobs each project supports.
“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been a lifeline for Maryland. It’s allowed us to save the jobs of police officers and teachers. It’s saved us from having to push children and vulnerable adults off of health care coverage. And it’s allowed us to protect the investments we’ve made in our public schools.
“We are committed in Maryland to fulfilling President Obama’s vision of timely, transparent, accountable information on the use and impact of Recovery dollars. We invite all Marylanders to explore the data and provide feedback as we continue to improve and update our innovative web tracking tools.”
The website, maintained by StateStat, Maryland’s performance-measurement and management program implemented to make state government more accountable and more efficient, tracks every category of ARRA spending providing contract-level details to the public.
Recently, Maryland launched an updated application for the website, allowing users to find information more easily. The Map has been upgraded with additional information tools, detailed fund descriptions and project details. The new site also provides users the opportunity to send comments and questions about the data and the map directly to StateStat administrators.