Web site tracks stimulus funds

Let’s say you want to know how much federal economic stimulus money has shown up in your county.

On Washington’s economic recovery Web site, a couple of clicks on an interactive map and this answer pops up: So far, Spokane County has received $49.5 million, including $26 million for education.

Every state has created a “transparency” Web site to allow residents to track federal economic stimulus money, but according to a report by a good-government group, some sites are better than others. Washington’s main site ranked among the top three in the nation, while its transportation site was second.

The report praised Washington for providing such information as county-by-county breakdowns, numbers of jobs created and project details.

Glenn Kuper, communications director for the Washington Office of Financial Management, said the idea was to give people the information they would most want. That’s the reason for the interactive county map; links for organizations or agencies that have projects they think might be eligible for money; and a button for individuals suffering hard times and wondering how the stimulus could affect their benefits. All are displayed prominently on the Web site’s main page.