COLORADO RANKS 2nd IN NATION FOR RECOVERY ACT TRANSPARENCY

 

A new study released today ranks Colorado 2^nd in the nation for Recovery Act spending transparency thanks to the state website www.colorado.gov/recovery. The ranking was released in a national study, "Show Us the Stimulus," by Good Jobs First, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit research center.

"I am committed to making Recovery Act spending in Colorado as transparent, open and accountable as possible to the people of Colorado," Gov. Ritter said. "That's why I established a Recovery Act oversight panel and the Recovery Act website. The site is informative and helpful so taxpayers can clearly see how the Recovery Act is strengthening the economy, benefiting communities and helping families."

 

The report scored state Recovery Act websites according to their ability to show various types of spending information – including contracts awarded, distribution of spending by county or town, and general explanations of funding categories. On a scale of 0 to 100, Colorado scored 68. The average score was 28. Colorado was one of just five states that scored over 50.Maryland topped the list. The report authors are part of a national coalition called States for a Transparent and Accountable Recovery (STAR coalition).

 

The website is maintained by the Governor's Economic Recovery Team and includes a map that shows Recovery Act projects and lists of contractors and reports. The website is updated daily.

 

To view the study, go to www.goodjobsfirst.org/stimulusweb.cfm.

 

For more information about the Recovery Act in Colorado, visit www.colorado.gov/recovery.