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New state website opens access to data
Posted at: 03/11/2013 6:15 PM
| Updated at: 03/11/2013 6:21 PM
By: Beth Wurtmann
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ALBANY - You could get answers to a number of questions about state government, through a new website that has recently been launched.
It's called "Open New York."
It's the kind of data you would have had to ask for in writing in the past, according to state leaders.
Now, instead of filing a Freedom of Information Act request, they are putting a lot of budget numbers and reports online.
The website was outlined at the governor's cabinet meeting Monday. with the goal of providing user-friendly access to federal, state and local data.
It's loaded with 200 state data sets so far from 30 executive agencies.
Information ranges from daily traffic estimates for the State's main roads, to the best fishing spots, to economic development data by region, as well as ways for you to compare hospitals and restaurants.
"You could get more information on how well your hospital has done on surgical procedures. When that information becomes public the hospitals compete and do a better job," said Russ Haven, legislative director at NY-PIRG. "Even in every day kinds of things you might be bale to go on the website and see how well your local restaurant has done in a recent health inspection."
Governor Cuomo expects the site to save millions of dollars, by giving access to data directly to residents, instead of paying state workers to answer lengthy requests for information.
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