This week's blogger, John C. Williams, is a Director for a premier NYC-based technology think tank. He meets regularly with corporate decision makers from around the globe and brings a local's perspective to the ways our region can compete in the worldwide marketplace. A Cincinnati native, John has lived more recently in Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco.
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The Digital Government
Posted By: John C. Williams
4/1/2010
Whole cities in Korea and China have invested in IP-based networks that wire their cities' respective buildings, infrastructure, and transportation systems in an attempt to improve and extend education and healthcare, optimize traffic patterns, and simplify government service delivery.
With smarter systems, our government can improve the effectiveness of its schools, better monitor criminal hot spots, reduce pollution, and generate a compounding network effect or virtuous cycle that leads to development and a wide range of public and private benefits. So how can our government reposition itself to be a net value creator for the region? Here is one possible path for consideration:
1) Start with the underlying technology infrastructure. Cincinnati already has a lot of "dark fiber" that was installed during the dot com era. The region can lead in "turning on" and establishing an infrastructure that connects our buildings, parking meters, cameras, roadways, garbage cans, etc. and minimizes the silos of government agencies so they have a shared (i.e., cheaper unit cost) platform by which to collaborate and deliver services.
2) Standardize services and paperwork (e.g., cut the bureaucracy around company licensing and certifications, building redevelopment, etc. and the variations existing from one township or village to the next). If you hope to attract businesses, make it easy for them to do business.
3) Incentivize departments and retrain staff to operate in a data-infused, connected service delivery mode. Without the skilled and motivated labor, you lose the potential for improvement.
4) Move to a metropolitan government and economic development model that will help pool and better allocate our resources, stimulate sustainable development, and improve overall service quality within our public services.
So what are your thoughts on how our government can best allocate our tax monies in a way that not only is cost-effective and maintains basic services, but also positions our region for greater prosperity and a higher quality of life?