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Articles by Elaine Pittman
Letter Carriers Add Bioterror Response to the Postal Service
An attack on the United States using weaponized anthrax — although considered a low-probability event — would have a high impact on the affected communities. If left untreated, the death rate for those who inhale anthrax is more than 99 percent, according to the Military Vaccine Agency.
Boating and watersports regulation and fee changes
The changes aim to increase customer service and public safetyPHOENIX — Boating and watercraft regulation changes aimed at increasing customer service and public safety on Arizona’s waterways went into effect Saturday, Aug. 5.The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved the amendments to the state’s Article 5 rules, which outline boating and watersports regulations and fees, at its April 7 meeting. The Governor’s Regulatory Review Council approved the proposed changes on June 6.
Report: Cryptocurrency Market Has More than Tripled Since 2016
A report by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance gathered data from 144 companies and individuals in 38 countries, and determined that the cryptocurrency market has more than tripled since early 2016, reaching $25 billion in March. Bitcoin remains the most popular platform, but other large players are Ethereum, Dash, Monero, Ripple and Litecoin.
Optimizing Government Performance: Tips from the Trenches
PHOENIX — Process improvement was a key theme at the Summit on Government Performance and Innovation. The event, hosted by Governing* in collaboration with Living Cities May 24 and 25 in Phoenix, brought together state and local government leaders to hear from their peers and discuss ways to create meaningful change in communities across the U.S. While not all the of the topics were tech-driven, the messages presented resonate across all areas of public-sector work.
Optimizing Government Performance: Tips from the Trenches
PHOENIX — Process improvement was a key theme at the Summit on Government Performance and Innovation. The event, hosted by Governing* in collaboration with Living Cities May 24 and 25 in Phoenix, brought together state and local government leaders to hear from their peers and discuss ways to create meaningful change in communities across the U.S. While not all the of the topics were tech-driven, the messages presented resonate across all areas of public-sector work.
San Francisco’s RFP Bus Speeds Up, Streamlines IT Procurement
PHOENIX — After learning how difficult it was to procure a new system piloted during the 2014 Startup in Residence program, which pairs startups with government agencies, San Francisco’s IT officials sought a better, faster method for future iterations of the initiative. It took the city two years to put together an RFP based on the work done as a pilot to help guide visually impaired individuals through San Francisco International Airport.
San Francisco’s RFP Bus Speeds Up, Streamlines IT Procurement
PHOENIX — After learning how difficult it was to procure a new system piloted during the 2014 Startup in Residence program, which pairs startups with government agencies, San Francisco’s IT officials sought a better, faster method for future iterations of the initiative. It took the city two years to put together an RFP based on the work done as a pilot to help guide visually impaired individuals through San Francisco International Airport.
Capt. Chris Hsiung
Capt. Chris Hsiung’s career in law enforcement spans 22 years, but five years ago, his focus turned online — and he hasn’t looked back. At the time, he was in charge of special operations, focused on tasks that allowed him to be forward-looking. That combined with an interest in how technology could make the Mountain View, Calif., Police Department more efficient led him to dive into social media.
Governments Look to Permit Pokemon Go, Augmented Reality Features on Public Property
After the popularity of Pokemon Go brought big crowds (and overflowing trash cans) to a Milwaukee County park, officials signed a permitting process Feb. 10 for game makers that include virtual monsters and other augmented reality features on public property. The ordinance requires game developers to obtain a park permit, which will range from $100 to $1,000 depending on factors like how many people are expected to participate.
Ideas Welcome: Philosophies and Priorities of the Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers of 2017
Government Technology’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers honors people inside and outside of government with a grand vision and the grit to execute on it. These are the people who aren’t afraid to bring a new, transformative idea to the table, and often times, that spirit is contagious. Top 25 honorees also tend to foster that way of thinking in their teams. Here are a few hints at their philosophies and priorities that have landed them on our list for 2017.
Do Autonomous Robots Need a ‘Kill Switch’?
Equipping robots with a “kill switch” is one recommendation a draft report submitted to the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee makes as the government seeks ways to prepare for potential dangers related to autonomous robotics. The report, which begins with a reference to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, identifies possible ways to address legal and ethical issues that may develop as advancements are made to autonomous artificial intelligences.
Do Autonomous Robots Need a ‘Kill Switch’?
Equipping robots with a “kill switch” is one recommendation a draft report submitted to the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee makes as the government seeks ways to prepare for potential dangers related to autonomous robotics. The report, which begins with a reference to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, identifies possible ways to address legal and ethical issues that may develop as advancements are made to autonomous artificial intelligences.
2016: The Year in Tech / States and Counties Get Smart, Digital
Governments have been moving to act more like startups, but IT vendors voiced concerns that 18F, the primary digital service working to modernize federal websites, apps and systems, may jeopardize lucrative contracts.
2016: The Year in Tech
A great headline? Eye-catching art? Or a compelling story outlining a novel approach to a familiar problem? Hopefully a combination of the three (weighted toward the last one) is what drew Government Technology readers to the stories that ranked as our most popular of the year. From broadband to the gov tech marketplace, analytics to everything as a service, smarter government to cybersecurity, here are the stories that the analytics tell us that readers most wanted to read.
User Experience, Data Drive Web Features in Denver
Earlier this year, Denvergov.org took first place for city websites in the Center for Digital Government’s Best of the Web competition. Denver’s dedication to service delivery is what most impressed judges, and it’s that focus on the customer and connecting people with pertinent information that’s driving the city forward online.
Municipal Innovation: Trends from the 2016 Digital Cities Survey
Every year the Digital Cities Survey takes a big-picture view of the state of IT in cities to determine which are moving the needle forward by excelling at using technology. The Center for Digital Government and Government Technology are recognizing 62 cities this year for their use of tech to support priorities and improve operations. Our infographic highlights key findings about how cities are using IT as well as where efforts are headed next.
2016 Digital Cities: Winners Focus on Transparency, Security, Infrastructure
The 2016 Digital Cities Survey results are in. Dozens of cities were selected by a judging panel at the Center for Digital Government as the most strategic, efficient and innovative guardians of public-sector tech in the nation. The top-ranked cities will receive an award on Nov. 17 at the National League of Cities’ annual conference in Pittsburgh. The first-place winners in five population categories are: Los Angeles; Virginia Beach, Va.; Durham, N.C.; Roanoke, Va.; and Tamarac, Fla.
2016 Digital Cities: Winners Focus on Transparency, Security, Infrastructure
The 2016 Digital Cities Survey results are in. Dozens of cities were selected by a judging panel at the Center for Digital Government as the most strategic, efficient and innovative guardians of public-sector tech in the nation. The top-ranked cities will receive an award on Nov. 17 at the National League of Cities’ annual conference in Pittsburgh. The first-place winners in five population categories are: Los Angeles; Virginia Beach, Va.; Durham, N.C.; Roanoke, Va.; and Tamarac, Fla.
Will ‘Government’ Become a Verb?
DENVER — “Google it.” “Uber home.” “Airbnb-ing.” Will government be the next noun to morph into a verb? That’s the hope and a driving force behind the Reverb conference, which brought government, tech startups and venture capitalists together Nov. 3 in Denver to discuss innovation in the public sector.
Colorado to Hire a Digital Transformation Officer
DENVER — Colorado is planning to hire a digital transformation officer, which CTO David McCurdy said will be the first such role in a state government. The new position will work to understand how Colorado can transform the digital experience for state workers and citizens. At the Colorado Digital Government Summit on Oct. 4, McCurdy discussed the goals of this position and why it’s needed in state government.
How Digital is Your State?
Just as a school teacher roots for his students, the Center for Digital Government is hopeful every two years that each respondent to its Digital States Survey will astound with reports of their technological feats. Though a competition of sorts, the Digital States Survey is more a showcase of state government's collective technology portfolio.
How Digital is Your State?
Just as a school teacher roots for his students, the Center for Digital Government is hopeful every two years that each respondent to its Digital States Survey will astound with reports of their technological feats. Though a competition of sorts, the Digital States Survey is more a showcase of state government's collective technology portfolio.
2016 Best of the Web Winners Demonstrate Technological Innovation, Service Delivery Improvements
The public sector is adopting the same modern technologies and nimble operations used by its private industry counterparts. This is reflected in patches throughout the government technology space, but the trend is most apparent when surveying government websites, each of which put their agencies’ offerings on display like so many stalls at an open-air bazaar. And this year, the 20th anniversary of the Center for Digital Government’s* Best of the Web Awards, announced Sept.
Digital Counties Survey 2016: Winners Make Collaboration, Innovation, Civic Engagement Top Priorities
In this year's survey, the Center for Digital Government recognizes 55 counties that understand technology's value, empower their tech leaders, and implement new ideas to make life better for those who live and work there. by Colin Wood, Noelle Knell, Elaine Pittman, Tod Newcombe, Eyragon Eidam, Ryan McCauley, Jessica Mulholland / July 20, 2016 Click points on the map above to learn more about each winner.
2015 Digital Cities: Winners Experiment with Forward-Thinking Tech Projects
The 2015 Digital Cities Survey results are in. Dozens of cities were selected by a judging panel at the Center for Digital Government as the most strategic, efficient and innovative guardians of public-sector tech in the nation. The top-ranked cities will receive an award on Nov. 5 at the annual National League of Cities conference in recognition of their achievements. The first place winners in four population categories are Philadelphia; Alexandria, Va.; Avondale, Ariz.; and Shawnee, Kan.
2015 Survey Honors Most Innovative, Pioneering Digital Counties
The power of counties can be traced back to the earliest local governments formed in colonial America, where new entities took shape to pick up the excess work that cities couldn’t handle, and then later matured into arms of the state. Today, county governments have become an indispensable ingredient in keeping the nation governed, and that is why those who are best at using technology to fill the role are being recognized in the 2015 Digital Counties Survey.
2014 Digital Cities: Winners Focus on Innovation, Boosting Transparency and Privacy
There are thousands of cities in the U.S., but not all can be considered digital cities. In fact, only 57 cities in the nation were named as winners in the 2014 Digital Cities Survey, which acknowledges cities that recognize the value of technology, empower their tech leaders and use new ideas to make life better for everyone who lives there.
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