by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
The City has climbed into the top ten in an annual listing of the nation’s most digital–savvy cities.
The Center for Digital Government, a national information technology research institute, ranked Jacksonville as the ninth most effective city of its size in using technology to streamline its operations and improve service offered to its citizens, according to a CDG release. The group surveyed technology officers from more than 300 cities in compiling the list, which was sorted according to population.
Jacksonville joined top–ranked Tampa in the 250,000–plus population category. The City finished three places behind Chicago and just ahead of Honolulu.
The CDG commended its top finishers for increased Internet access to City functions like bill payment. That criteria was apparently a factor in Jacksonville’s improved ranking.
Jacksonville was left off last year’s rankings, but initiatives to expand the City’s website offerings jumped the City near the top of this year’s list. Written Communications Chief Susan Pelter has supervised the work since joining Mayor John Peyton’s team four months ago.
Over the past year, the City’s Building Inspection Division has issued almost half of its permits online, saving its staff and customers time. Pelter said recently she wanted the rest of the City’s website to be similarly interactive. Specifically, she said the City was looking into allowing parking tickets to be paid online.
Pelter has also requested a cost–benefit analysis of putting streaming video on the site. She said the video could allow residents to watch public meetings or receive other public information.
Earlier this year, the City received the Excellence in IT Leadership award for leadership in using information technology to promote development in Florida. ITFlorida, a technology business network, awarded the City for its proposed JAXMAN project, a high–speed Internet network.
Consultants have recommended the City invest nearly $30 million to expand the JAXMAN network. Facing shrinking State revenues, Peyton couldn’t find special funding for the network in this year’s budget, but City representatives have said they will continue to research ways to further implement the network.
CDG Executive Director Cathilea Robinett said this year’s survey received a record number of responses. She said the increased participation indicated the growing importance of information technology to municipal operations.
“Nearly every city government that participated in the survey made great progress in improving their business functions with customers and increasing their overall service delivery to citizens — all with the support of technology,” said Robinett.