Sam Liccardo and Gary Kremen: Netroots Nation can inspire change in San Jose where it matters most: between elections
This weekend 5,000 of America’s most wired citizens will descend upon San Jose for the annual Netroots Nation convention. City halls throughout the country have much to learn from their online political activism, because engaging people through technology can transform how local governments serve their residents.
San Jose should lead this movement. To do so, we need to embrace online innovation well beyond “version 1.0″ mobile applications for reporting graffiti and potholes. We have to unveil government-held data to the public, exposing how, where and why City Hall does what it does. In cities throughout the world, “open data” initiatives have spurred savvy citizens to develop mobile apps to warn diners about restaurants with health code violations, prioritize street repairs for the bumpiest roads, enable residents to weigh in on budgetary priorities and even provide real-time information about the arrival of the next bus.
For those frustrated with delays in San Jose’s permitting and planning process, for example, open data can help. With existing software, we could identify the desk on which every permit application sits, as well as how long it has been there. Unveiling that aggregated data — without names or identifying information — can help managers pinpoint where processes need hastening and clarify expectations for customers. App developers can use the data to identify ways to reduce delays, such as by automating ministerial tasks or by notifying customers with real-time information about the progress of the permit or which official to call with questions. Open data can make City Hall more accountable, transparent and efficient.
These tools can make San Jose safer as well. Sickweather.com relies on open data to spot health epidemics, but crime is now our most dangerous epidemic. Our innovative police department and Mayor Chuck Reed are commendably exploring the application of predictive analytics to policing — to identify emerging trends in crime to help focus police resources — but this is just a start. Beyond crime statistics, a broader set of data — including truancy reports, code enforcement complaints about noisy late-night activity and reports of gang graffiti in parks — could help police, nonprofit organizations and gang prevention experts better target resources. By identifying the “broken windows” before the neighborhood becomes crime-ridden, technology can help focus our scarce services to the points of greatest impact.
The City of San Jose takes seriously the input of its residents, with annual surveys and repeated outreach. Yet we need more robust systems that empower citizen participation in the business of government. With a growing coalition of neighborhood leaders, we’re exploring how participatory budgeting can engage residents to decide how City Hall can more efficiently and transparently target funds to improve their neighborhoods. Online surveys can help prioritize ideas for funding decisions, and online crowdsourcing can leverage volunteer energy and private contributions to stretch scarce public dollars.
Through the recent StartUp San Jose online forum, innovative ideas for filling empty storefronts have emerged. Among them: boosting online traffic to websites of local small businesses by providing links from city websites to make those addresses appear more prominently in search engine results. These kinds of ideas won’t cost taxpayers a dime, but they could help a few small businesses put our neighbors back to work, boost our tax base and even illuminate a few dark sidewalks.
Netroots Nation has demonstrated that the next generation of digital tools can harness activism online, bring together our communities offline and even influence the outcome of elections. After elections are over, together we can accomplish a greater legacy: We can transform how government serves our community.
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