Open Illinois.org

If you’ve been wondering how to track stimulus money for Illinois, check out Recovery.gov, the federal website that shows where tax dollars are going.

The website lists how much money each state agency in Illinois plans on receiving, has already received and how much each agency still has coming.  It also tells you who each state agency has contracted with and for what.

Reading these descriptions, however, reminds me of why many people consider the stimulus one giant pork bill. It also makes me question where our tax dollars are really being spent. Here are a few examples of some spending currently taking place:

• Illinois Department of State contracted with CDW Government, Inc. for “unclassified desktops and monitors.”
• An unidentified agency known on the website as “21” has contracted with Rock Island Integrated Services to “paint the exterior of garages.”
• Another unidentified agency known as “57” has contracted with IllinoisRocstar, LLC for “novel alternative energetic propellants for space propulsion.”
• The US Army Corps of Engineers contracted with Howell Paving, Inc. to resurface the Wilborn Creek parking lot and boat. They’ve also contracted with Arctic Ice, Inc. to rent an ice machine and purchase 150 bags of ice.

While it’s helpful to see these projects online, the website’s project descriptions are vague and difficult to understand. There are also projects completely missing descriptions! Does this website really provide the transparency Illinois and the stimulus bill need?

Check out the website and see if you can figure out what is happening in Illinois.