Data

How One City Transformed Its Approach to Data

COMMENTARY | Carlsbad, California, had siloed data streams and didn’t effectively communicate between departments. It changed that and is using its smart city status to tackle today's biggest problems.

States Abandon Access to Shared Voter Registration Data

As states gear up to leave the Electronic Registration Information Center, few have specific plans in place to maintain accurate voter rolls on their own.

One State's Plan To Amass Homelessness Data

To target services and funds aimed at reducing and preventing homelessness, California’s data sharing platform allows state and local leaders to coordinate services, policies and programs.

Data-Based Decision-Making Is Flawed When the Data Is Flawed

There are many reasons the quality of state and local data can be poor. Using that information can lead to unfortunate results.

Look for Fraudsters to Apply COVID-era Tricks to New Programs

The pandemic laid bare state and local governments’ vulnerability to fraud, and agencies must lean into data-sharing technology to keep up defenses, an expert advises.

How Records of Life’s Milestones Help Solve Cold Cases, Pinpoint Health Risks and Allocate Public Resources

Agencies should adopt a centralized approach to managing vital records such as marriage licenses and birth certificates to better track population data.

In Search of Cheap Power and Land, Crypto Companies Look to Nebraska

Cryptocurrency is carving itself a home in rural Nebraska, bringing with it both jobs and an enormous demand on the state’s electrical grid. Critics say it could be cause for environmental concern.

Human Resources Has a Data Problem. Here’s How To Fix It

COMMENTARY | Public sector HR departments need to evolve from counting activities and outputs to measuring results and outcomes.

Executive Order Blocks State Business With ‘Evil Foreign Governments’

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s order will ensure companies associated with hostile nations do not access state infrastructure or data through IT or telecommunications contracts.

Communities are Rethinking Their Push for Data Centers

More governments are looking into the environmental effects of data centers on neighborhoods.

A Massachusetts Law Protects the Right to Repair Your Own Car. Automakers Are Suing

The legal battle has major implications for drivers' pocketbooks, and for the climate.

Cyberattack Turns Up the Heat on Common Security Problems

The ransomware attack that crippled a New York county again demonstrated the need for investment, regular updates and an enterprisewide approach to security.

Ridership Trends Emerge From Transit Data Archive

The nation’s local transit data now sits in a centralized archive, giving officials an understanding of how communities use transportation systems.

Demonstrating Digital Government

COMMENTARY | Digital work is ultimately change work and requires adapting systems, people, processes and services.

The Move to Digital Government Requires More Than Just Tech

COMMENTARY | Processes, power and people are also crucial elements.

The Next Era of Data-driven Local Government

Cities and other localities are entering a new phase with how they incorporate data into decision-making.

The Most Future-ready US Cities

Cities that leverage data, partnerships and emerging technologies can best adapt to changing citizen expectations, a new report found.

The Basic Questions Bedeviling How States Manage Data

States have tons of data. But much of it is redundant and it’s sometimes hard to know where it is stored, who can access it and how it can be used.

Financial Health Dashboard Offers Tips for Closing Wealth Gaps

A new online tool from the Urban Institute allows leaders to assess a community’s financial benchmarks and maps them to policies to address racial inequity.

City Tests App for Delivery Drivers to Reserve Spots in Loading Zones

"This pilot aims to better understand the usage of loading zones so that the City can figure out ways to improve traffic safety and reduce congestion," says an official.