NY Stimulus Oversight Group Presses for Accountability

(Posted by Chris Keeley of Common Cause)

April 10, 2009--The New York State Stimulus Oversight Working Group has been pressing for a high level of transparency and accountability in a state that will have one of the largest pots of Recovery Act money to spend. Members of the Working Group, led by Common Cause/New York, recently met with top aides of Gov. David Paterson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, finding there is interest from policymakers to pursue maximum openness, fairness and effectiveness in the spending of the money.

To help state officials develop their accountability agenda, the Working Group sent a follow-up letter to the Governor that laid out five key steps the state should take, beginning with the creation of an Independent Stimulus Monitor.

The Working Group was created in early February.The Working Group released a statement of Common Principles for Transparency and Accountability based on Fairness, Effectiveness, Ethical and Honest Use.  These principles amount to a Taxpayer's Right to Know. It has been following this up by leafleting at a series of town hall meetings held by the state senate and members of Congress

The Working Group is pressing for accountability not only at the state level but also at the local level in New York City. Common Cause/New York testified before members of the working group reached out to City Council members last month to draft a proposed law that would establish a website to track Recovery Act funds throughout the five boroughs, set minimum standards for reporting, provide outlets for potential whistle-blowers, and mandate bi-annual public reviews of the website to ensure it is state-of-the-art in terms of government transparency.

The Working Group can be reached through Chris Keeley at Common Cause/New York at (212)691-6421 or ckeeley@commoncause.org.