• March 12, 2021
• Civic Data

STATE SCOOP: NEW YORK CITY PUBLISHED A STRATEGY TO KEEP ITS IOT FAIR

New York City’s new Internet of Things (IoT) strategy is a document that both reviews the city’s current IoT situation and usage and lists short-term recommendations for equitable future IoT technology. These include device and data security, an internal IoT consultancy, and community partnerships.

GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY: MAYORS' POV: HOW DOES OPEN DATA IMPACT LOCAL GOVERNMENT?

In a virtual event, four mayors from major southern cities discussed using open data to inform local decision making, resident communications, COVID-19 restrictions, and more; they also discussed using new platforms for collecting and disseminating data. This event was hosted by What Works Cities.

BLOOMBERG: BROKEN PROPERTY-TAX SYSTEM BLOCKS BLACK WEALTH BUILDING

Currently, there is increased attention to the systemic inequalities in home valuation, with recent stories about Black families having their houses valued differently depending on evidence of race in the home (i.e. family photos, etc). On the flip side, data on property tax valuation shows that Black families have their homes valued much higher for property taxes, which means that they are paying a disproportionate amount in taxes — and are unable to recoup that upon selling.

PENN TODAY: WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF DATA SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY

Government officials are using data to guide decisions and policy making, but without a standard lens for data interpretation, many policies that stem from the same information look very different. Particularly as local and state governments use data on COVID-19 infection, spread, and vaccinations, understanding the challenges around data-driven policy making and how to best address complex issues with data is important for everyone.