Editorial: There’s no better time to develop a database to track local government

In Trenton this week, lawmakers will discuss creating an online database that would track state contracts, loans, and other expenditures and would be easily accessible on the state’s Web site. We like the sound of this project, which according to officials, would be comparable to relative budget tracking systems that cost in the ballpark of $400,000.

Lest we concede technological superiority to our brethren in the East, Philadelphia’s tech community has a unique opportunity to demand the same accountability from our local government by developing a citizen-managed online database that would track important public records.

Tomorrow, the metropolitan area will lose a valuable contributor of government accountability. Hallwatch.org is closing shop, according to an announcement made on the site on January 23.

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