City launches Web site to track stimulus spending

The City of Philadelphia has launched a Web site dedicated to keeping track of Philly’s stake in the federal economic stimulus package, according to an update posted to the city’s Twitter account.
Much like the state’s stimulus accountability Web site announced in March, the city will identify projects and initiatives that it is potentially eligible for, keep citizens informed with news and publicly post how money is being spent.
“We are committed to making all recovery information available on this Web site so that you can follow exactly how we are using every dollar of this unprecedented investment,” Mayor Michael Nutter said in an embedded YouTube video.
Watch Mayor Nutter’s announcement and learn about some of the 29 federal funding opportunities being planned by the city – including CIO Allan Frank’s $100 million Digital Philadelphia broadband initiative after the jump.
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Though content on the site is so far sparse, the site lists in PDF format 29 federal funding opportunities in areas including economic development, energy, health and social services, public safety, transportation and infrastructure.
Many of the “shovel-ready” projects are detailed in our original coverage of Philadelphia’s bailout tech proposals as submitted to the U.S. Conference of Mayors in February.
It shouldn’t be a surprise to our regular readers to see broadband expansion plans on the list Technically Philly broke the news of the city’s $100 million Digital Philadelphia plan, detailed by city CIO Allan Frank last week. The Department of Technology is currently assembling a stakeholder coalition and is awaiting application details from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in June before it organizes priorities for the project.
The administration is moving forward on several other projects detailed in the “shovel-ready” report.
The purchase of 40 hybrid SEPTA buses and the installation of LED lamps in signalized intersections are still planned proposals. While the city is planning to apply for $13.5 million for a “real-time crime center,” and other projects in public safety, it is not known whether or not it plans to apply for upgrades to digital public radio systems.
Electronic health records across prison and linked health systems, a $15 million project, and $115 million in upgrades and expansion to the Central Library, both included in the original proposal, are absent from the city’s current federal funding plans. [Hat tip to Phillyist]