Finally: data transparency for bonds
And the digital billboards are here!
Last week the city launched Phase 1 of a new online dashboard tracking city bond spending. This is a very good development for government transparency and policy analysis.
Historically it has been difficult for the public to track bond dollars. You had to know what to look for. The 2016 mobility bond or the 2018 housing bond, for instance. It reflected the balkanized nature of city government. Consolidating them in one dashboard is long overdue.
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The bond programs displayed on the site include the most recent four bonds: the 2016 transportation bond, the 2018 comprehensive bond program, the 2020 transportation bond and the 2022 housing bond.
If you click on the 2022 housing bond, for instance, you can see how much has been spent and then browse through all of the projects that have been funded. Maybe it will impress you, maybe it will depress you. But at least you'll have accurate information.
