Ocean State Policy Research Institute launches stimulus watch site
From Sunshine Review
July 15, 2009 The Ocean State Policy Research Institute (OSPRI) in Rhode Island launched RI Stimulus, a site that keeps track of all federal stimulus funds coming into the state.
[edit] The site
The new site watches the stimulus funds coming into the state for a variety of projects and provides a forum for people to express support or opposition to the projects. The site is a "wiki," allowing users to contribute and edit to the descriptions of projects and forums and OSPRI called for taxpayer involvement.
"We've created this website to not only track how the stimulus funds are being spent, but to serve as an online town hall meeting for the entire state," said Bill Felkner, President of OSPRI. "The taxpayers now have a way to make their opinions heard and show their support or opposition by 'voting' for or against these projects. Now we need your vote!"
Following the launch of this site, OSPRI now plans to inform numerous state and local elected officials of the new website. The non-profit wants to encourage them to watch the feedback and comments that constituents post.
"Our goal is bring the voters and the elected officials together," Felkner said. "Lobbyists should not control our government, we, the people, should control our government. It's time for officials to stop listening with their wallets and start listening with their ears."
[edit] OSPRI
The Ocean State Policy Research Institute was created in 2007 to craft "sound public policy based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, and traditional American values." The non-profit publishes research and analysis on issues for sharing with elected officials, the media, business leaders, community organizations and individual citizens.
[edit] Transparency Train
Another site, the Transparency Train Web Portal, is a hub of connection to many public information websites with a Google-style searchable format. It links to websites including:
- RI Data which contains every budget, payroll, public employee contract and monthly check register for all cities, towns and school districts in Rhode Island.
- RI Votes which is an online database of legislation and voting records.
- LRB Watch provides analysis and information on the State Labor Relations Board.
- RI Schools is an interactive website that allows viewers to create comparative graphs of school districts plotting various metrics such as cost per student, test scores and the number of employees (coming 2009).
- RI Donors will contain a "connect the dots" approach to viewing political and lobbying finances (coming 2009).
- Take Action, a "how-to" manual that shows citizens how to file Freedom Of Information Act requests for public information and what to do if they don't comply.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
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