Good Jobs First Keeps Eye on Economic Recovery Spending

by James Parks, May 26, 2009

Good Jobs First today launched a new website, www.AccountableRecovery.org, as part of its new States for a Transparent and Accountable Recovery (STAR) Coalition. STAR is a network, which promotes state and local activism to ensure the $787 billion in spending under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is transparent, accountable, fair and effective.

The new site breaks down economic recovery information for each state and the District of Columbia:

• An evaluation of each state’s Recovery Act website, especially with regard to disclosure of contractor information.
• Details on Recovery Act oversight policies and structures.
• A synopsis of policy debates on the issues of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act occurring in the state.
• Key data such as total funding the state is expected to receive.
• Listings of watchdog organizations, their Recovery Act publications and other resources.

The STAR Coalition includes national organizing networks such as the Apollo Alliance, Center for Community Change, Common Cause, National People’s Action, Transportation Equity Network, Partnership for Working Families, Smart Growth America and U.S. PIRG, as well as many of their state and local affiliates.

In many states, these watchdog groups will help expand and update the state pages.

The STAR website will be expanded throughout 2009 and 2010 as new data becomes available from the federal government. Currently, only a handful of states have any reporting data on their recovery websites.

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