GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES LAUNCH ON INTERACTIVE MAP FOR FY11 CAPITAL BUDGET

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley announced today the launch of an online, interactive map that outlines many of the major Capital Budget projects for FY11. The Capital Budget, totaling more than $2.7 billion in FY11, invests in infrastructure projects, public schools, environmental projects and others. Nearly one third of the FY11 Capital Budget is dedicated to education projects.

“We are committed in Maryland to fulfilling our promise to the people of Maryland to bring them a more transparent, accountable, and fiscally responsible state government,” said Governor O’Malley. “This new website allows all Maryland citizens to explore local projects that will impact the lives of their families and the neighbors, and see first hand how tax dollars are being used to improve the quality of life for all Marylanders.”

The website, maintained by StateStat, Maryland’s performance-measurement and management program implemented to make state government more accountable and more efficient, categorizes Capital projects and separates expenditures by project and by jurisdiction.

Capital budgets are planned in six year increments, and therefore a single fiscal year offers only a piece of the total picture. For the authoritative account on Maryland’s six-Year Capital Improvement Plan and all capital expenditures, please visit Maryland’s Department of Budget and Management’s website.

This interactive map is meant to provide more transparency to state government. Similarly, StateStat tracks every category of federal Recovery Act spending providing contract-level details to the public, and details the activities of several state agencies in an effort to improve efficiency and save taxpayer money. Recently, Good Jobs First, a non-profit research center based in Washington, DC, ranked Maryland’s Recovery Act tracking website the best in the nation for the second straight year.