Revamped site provides details on county, project stimulus funds

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Opponents pleased, but still want more information on recovery’s Web home.A new and improved version of the state Web site tracking federal stimulus dollars, www.nj.gov/recovery, has been launched.

The new site includes a map of the state in which projects are listed by location, as well as the ability to search projects by municipality. Transportation contracts that have been awarded include the name of the contractor.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine said the changes were made due to the site’s focus on transparency.

“With these improvements, the taxpayers of New Jersey can monitor the distribution and spending of federal recovery dollars in a more straightforward and less complicated manner,” Corzine said in a statement announcing the changes.

The projects are divided into the nine largest funding streams. The site also includes an updated pie chart showing how the majority of the funds for the state are being used.

State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris Plains) said the changes were a victory in his effort to improve the site. He said he would still like to see more details for each project, such as which schools in each school district are receiving additional federal education aid.

“I think it’s a work in progress,” Pennacchio said. “It seems to be a little bit better than it was before.”

Pennacchio also repeated his call for a similar Web site for all state funds. State officials have said such a site is in the works.

Officials said more details of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding would be available when the state begins quarterly reporting Oct. 30. New Jersey is scheduled to receive $17.5 billion of the $787 billion total, including $7.3 billion for tax cuts and $10 billion for services, aid and infrastructure.

E-mail Andrew Kitchenman at [email protected]