Every year, to create or retain jobs, the state of Pennsylvania gives out roughly $200 million in grants and loans to businesses. To date, the Commonwealth distributes this substantial sum without demanding systematic information and accountability regarding any of its benefits – in terms of jobs actually created (not simply promised), the quality of those jobs, limits on total assistance per job, the proximity of jobs to the people who need them, and whether new businesses fill in vacant lots in older communities or lead to further development of Pennsylvania’s open space.