Attributes: Commentary

Person holding a smartphone while wearing a COVID-19 mask

Commentary

How cities can react and protect residents and small businesses from coronavirus

Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic — and as coronavirus affects every aspect of our society, changing the way people everywhere live and work — government officials on the federal, state and city levels across a wide spectrum of technological sophistication are working to comprehend and combat the severe negative effects […]

Commentary

GIS for smart cities: Turning data into action

To keep your municipality running smoothly, it’s useful to have a large team of public works employees in the field at all times, keeping an eye out for road obstructions and clogged storm drains. But what if instead of a hundred or so people keeping an eye out, you could mobilize an army of 50,000? […]

Commentary

Helping vulnerable populations in the face of pandemic

Public safety, health and emergency management agencies don’t always know where vulnerable populations live in their communities, making it difficult to proactively identify those at risk and respond to their needs appropriately. Especially in crises, such as the current coronavirus pandemic, knowing who and where those people are can be extra critical as public safety […]

Commentary

Cities and counties face fiscal challenges in the pandemic era

Even prior to widespread recognition that the Coronavirus pandemic is likely to wreck economic devastation on the national and global economies, there were many cities and counties throughout the country facing significant financial challenges. Some of these pre-existing problems included: insufficient liquidity; excessive debt burdens; inadequate reserves; declining revenues; and unsustainable employee retirement and health […]

Commentary

Municipal leaders should improve property registries to combat property blight

Hundreds of communities across the country have implemented a “vacant property registration ordinance” (VPRO) with intent to proactively receive contact information of the owner or responsible party for vacant and/or abandoned properties in their jurisdiction. This tool advocated for by community development experts has proven to be a great success. While effective, this tool has […]

Satellite above cloudy sky

Commentary

In a new data decade, constituent experience reigns

Over the years, humans have predicted fantastical feats would be achieved by 2020, from robot servants to public space travel. Now that 2020 is here, some of the accomplishments are different—but still grand. In the decade ahead, transformational technologies that better meet constituent needs will define the missions of local government leaders. Advancements in 5G, […]

Commentary

Smart cities require smart insurance programs

The rise in autonomous vehicles has required many cities and counties to examine the impact self-driving vehicles will have on traffic enforcement, insurance, even registration and licensing. This all leads to the issue of how autonomous vehicles and traditional vehicles can share the road — and how municipalities can ensure that their insurance coverage is […]

Commentary

How 5G can improve emergency response efforts during extreme weather

“People didn’t die from the smoke. People didn’t die from the fire. People died because they didn’t know something was coming,” said Joseph Solis, former 911 dispatch employee and police officer, on the 2017 California wildfires. The increasing need for disaster response is down to one simple and depressing fact — these instances are becoming […]

Commentary

Smart cities: What really makes them smart?

Recently, I had the pleasure of taking part in the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Singapore, where leaders from around the world gathered to discuss the future of mobility. My presentation – Emerging Mobility Solutions and Smart Cities – was among many that explored vital mobility topics, from technology innovation to data management to sustainability […]

Commentary

Ransomware attacks: Why it should be illegal to pay the ransom

When it comes to ransomware attacks on municipalities, paying hackers isn’t the right solution. First, there’s no guarantee hackers will return sensitive data. Second, there’s no guarantee cybercriminals won’t leverage and monetize the data anyway, returned or not. To effectively fight back, we need to make ransomware payments illegal, and develop a strong industry of […]

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