NEW YORK - Council member Bill de Blasio today announced he is drafting legislation to require transparency and accountability in the City's spending of Stimulus funds. The proposed legislation would create a new government website, SunlightNYC, to help the public easily track how City Hall allocates money provided to New York City by the stimulus package.
"The future of our city depends on making sure this federal aid is spent wisely and fairly. SunlightNYC will allow the public to see exactly how their money is being used, providing much needed accountability and transparency to the process. With so much at stake, we cannot afford to lose track of a single dollar provided to our city," said Councilmember Bill de Blasio.
This initiative for transparency is already supported by several other members of the New York City Council, and seeks to further the principles laid out by the New York State Stimulus Oversight Working Group, a coalition of good government, education and other community advocacy organizations. The New York State Stimulus Oversight Working Group today also held press conference at City Hall, calling for transparency and accountability in the spending of stimulus funds by the city.
Executive Director of Common Cause/New York Susan Lerner said, "City policymakers must take aggressive and early action to bolster the public's confidence that the federal stimulus money will be used for its intended purpose. A centralized website, such as the proposed SunlightNYC, could help New Yorkers be the much needed ‘eyes on the ground' following the stimulus money and making sure it is being spent accountably, responsibly, and wisely. The city's tracking requirements should ‘drill down' to every level of subcontracting to ensure every dollar will be accounted for, as recommended in the Common Principles developed by the New York State Stimulus Oversight Working Group."
Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum said, "I am happy to join my colleagues in the City Council to begin work on a bill that will allow anyone to see how the City is spending its share of federal stimulus funds. As chair of the Commission on Public Information and Communication (COPIC), I want to ensure that New York City has the most transparent government in the nation. President Obama has called for an era of greater openness and accountability, and there is no better place to start than with a huge sum of federal aid."
Councilmember Gale Brewer said, "SunlightNYC harnesses the power of the internet to provide instant access to how every dollar from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is spent by New York City. The SunlightNYC website is an important step forward in using technology
to provide accountability in government. SunlightNYC will be an invaluable tool for New Yorkers, providing a website where funding is cataloged and tracked in a searchable database."
Councilmember Letticia James said, "We need SunlightNYC to make sure this crucial federal aid gets to the people who truly need it. I applaud my friend and fellow Councilmember Bill de Blasio for leading the charge to ensure transparency and accountability in our city government."
Councilmember Charles Barron said, "This database is critical, we must track and be certain that this money reaches the neediest communities in rural and urban America, particularly in communities of color."
Councilmember Melissa Mark Viverito said, "A public searchable database that will track the Federal Stimulus funds coming to New York City is essential in maintaining an open and transparent government. During the next two years, millions of dollars will come to the City. New Yorkers need to be provided with the necessary tools that will allow them to track how funds are being used as a means of ensuring accountability. In the end, it is in our best interest as a city to make sure the stimulus funds are being invested as prescribed if we want to create jobs and get the city on the path to economic recovery-the database we are proposing helps us meet this goal."
Project Director for Good Jobs New York Bettina Damiani said, "A truly transparent online database will enable New Yorkers to help hold officials accountable for jobs and other promises made in exchange for these critical funds,"
Under the stimulus package approximately 24.6 billion dollars will be sent to New York State over the course of the next two years. Some examples include: $1.3 billion in enhanced food stamp benefits, $1.3 billion to fund 33-week expansion of unemployment benefits, and $100 million for child care services for low-income individuals. New York is also expected to receive at least $1.25 billion for the mass transit and $1.1 billion for highways and bridges.
