California cities recognized in national tech survey

From an app for residents to report potholes to a consolidated, more secure data center, cities that deployed information and communication technology took the top honors in the 2013 Digital Cities Survey.

Palo Alto, Calif.; Avondale, Ariz.; Irving, Texas; and Boston, Mass., claimed first place in their respective population categories. Of the 62 cities that placed, nine were in California.

California winners included: Chula Vista,  Los Angeles, Long Beach, Modesto, Palo Alto, Rancho Cordova, Roseville, Riverside and Simi Valley.  (see the entire list below)

"Nationally, the number of tech-savvy digital cities is increasing, particularly among the larger jurisdictions responding to the survey," Todd Sander, executive director of the Center for Digital Government said in a Nov. 7 press release. "The top digital cities are leaders in open data and transparency efforts, as well as innovators in deploying mobile applications to citizens while conforming to fiscal standards."

The 13^th annual survey was conducted by the CDG, a division of e.Republic, and it was underwritten by Accela, AT&T and NIC.

A panel of CDG’s senior fellows and executives chose ten finalists for each of the four population categories: fewer than 75,000 residents, between 75,000 and 124,999 residents, between 125,000 and 249,999 residents, and more than 250,000 residents.

Palo Alto won first place in the population category of fewer than 75,000 residents. In an interview with the magazine Government Technology, city CIO Jonathan Reichental credited two key innovations: PaloAlto311, an online reporting site and app for infrastructure issues, and a web platform that makes permit data available to residents in near real time.

"Out community is delighted with the results, commenting on the timely notifications of work being done and on their gratification knowing an issue has been addressed," Reichental told the magazine.

"Be sure to get full support from your elected officials, commit to the IT vision and strategy, work hard, pivot gently as necessary, take balanced and managed risks and celebrate often," Reichental said.

In congratulating the winners, Sander said the cities that have invested in IT would reap other benefits.

"Cities that are investing in technology are seeing huge cost savings that are critical to operations and their ability to meet higher demand for services," Sander said in a press release. "These cities are true innovators, and we applaud them as they work in the spirit of collaboration to provide extraordinary value to constituents, despite budget setbacks."

The top-ranked cities will receive their Digital Cities awards Nov. 15 at a reception at the National League of Cities’ annual conference in Seattle.

The full list of winners is as follows:

250,000 or more residents

1^st — Boston, Mass.

2^nd — Louisville, Ky.

2^nd — Philadelphia, Pa.

3^rd — Jacksonville, Fla.

3^rd — Riverside, Calif.

4^th — Henderson, Nev.

4^th — Seattle, Wash.

5^th — Corpus Christi, Texas

5^th — Las Vegas, Nev.

5^th — Virginia Beach, Va.

6^th — Austin, Texas

6^th — Chicago, Ill.

7^th — Albuquerque, N.M.

7^th — Denver, Colo.

7^th — Long Beach, Calif.

8^th — Mesa, Ariz.

8^th — Tucson, Ariz.

9^th — Baltimore, Md.

9^th — Los Angeles, Calif.

10^th — Raleigh, N.C.

 

125,000-249,999 residents

1^st — Irving, Texas

2^nd — Augusta, Ga.

3^rd — Alexandria, Va.

3^rd — Durham, N.C.

4^th — Salt Lake City, Utah

5^th — Fort Collins, Colo.

5^th — Hampton, Va.

6^th — Chula Vista, Calif.

6^th — Scottsdale, Ariz.

6^th — Winston-Salem, N.C.

7^th — Modesto, Calif.

7^th — Tacoma, Wash.

8^th — Richmond, Va.

9^th — Fayetteville, N.C.

9^th — Simi Valley, Calif.

10^th — Springfield, Mo.

 

75,000-124,999 residents

1^st — Avondale, Ariz.

2^nd — West Palm Beach, Fla.

3^rd — Roseville, Calif.

4^th — Westminster, Colo.

5^th — Lowell, Mass.

5^th — Davenport, Iowa

5^th — Richardson, Texas

6^th — Lynchburg, Va.

7^th — Independence, Mo.

8^th — Arvada, Colo.

8^th — Boulder, Colo.

9^th — Roanoke, Va.

10^th — Pueblo, Colo.

Less than 75,000 residents

1^st — Palo Alto, Calif.

2^nd — Fayetteville, Ark.

3^rd — Carson City, Nev.

4^th — Marana, Ariz.

5^th — Ponca City, Okla.

6^th — Rancho Cordova, Calif.

6^th — Shawnee, Kan.

7^th — Auburn, Wash.

7^th — Schaumburg, Ill.

8^th — Hudson, Ohio

9^th — Williamsburg, Va.

9^th — Enfield, Conn.

10^th — North Port, Fla.