San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee wants cities to be "laboratories for innovation," to create new jobs, improve the economy and make government more open and efficient. Last week, Lee was appointed to head a task force among mayors across the nation, to find ways to support the growth of technology to ensure that residents are educated and prepared for the 21st century economy, according to a press release. With deep roots in the tech-sector and home to such giants as Twitter and Salesforce.com, it is predicable that San Francisco would be at the center of such an effort.
Led by Mayor Lee, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Technology and Innovation Task Force will look at ways to ensure the tax structure is equitable and government data is accessible by private companies for the development of applications that benefit the public. Among other goals, the task force wants to find ways to work with company CEOs to ensure that cities attract entrepreneurs and foster the growth of startup companies. The task force was formed by USCM President and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villiaragosa at the organization’s winter meeting to work on issues and provide recommendations to Congress and the Obama Administration.
San Francisco’s city government has a history of being cutting edge. The city’s open data initiative included the launch of DataSF.org, a website designed to increase access to city data and engage the skilled workforce of San Francisco. Then Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2010 established the nation’s first open source policy for city government, calling for open and transparent government. In his announcement, Newsom said "San Francisco’s world class technology community will take City data we collect and develop new and innovative applications that will serve the public better and transform government." DataSF.org used open source technology to make publicly available more than 150 datasets from various city departments.
With events like Disrupt SF, filled with Hackathons and discussions of startups, San Francisco boasts a large tech-enthusiast community, including the exclusive Founder’s Den, a shared office space and private club for experienced entrepreneurs and their friends.
