In a bipartisan effort, we helped pass a state law that establishes an easy-to-use searchable online database that discloses state subsidies and spending.

Maryland PIRG worked to ensure that our government keeps up with improvements in information technology to help strengthen our democracy. With this new database, members of the public will be able to search by company or by industry and find out how much money in government contracts or subsidies that company receives.
 

We are optimistic that increasing transparency will help reduce unethical awarding of contracts and will help make sure that government funds are well-spent. The database is scheduled to go online in January of 2009.

Maryland PIRG created a  legislative scorecard, featuring key votes held in Congress this year. The scorecard allows us to see how our representatives are voting at a glance.

Our staff distributed this scorecard to more than 9,000 homes this summer and it’s one of the most powerful accountability tools we have.

The legislative session in Maryland ended on April 7. Some of the highlights and accomplishments included improvements in energy efficiency, protecting children from lead poisoning and giving interested citizens the ability find out how their tax dollars are spent by searching an easy-to-use online database.

The biggest pieces of unfinished business for the public interest included protecting Maryland’s children from exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment and consumer products, as well as limiting special interests’ influence on our democracy by enacting public campaign financing.

This leaves the rest of us to foot the bill for essential services like education, transportation and public safety.

However, the tide is turning. In July, Massachusetts passed a comprehensive solution to corporate tax loopholes called combined reporting— now, 55 percent of the U.S. economy is covered by the law.

In the face of powerful opposition from the Chamber of Commerce, Maryland lawmakers shied away from combined reporting in the fall of 2007, choosing to study the issue instead.

The study panel is now being selected. Maryland PIRG is working to place pro-consumer voices on this panel.