Mayor Helena Moreno: Treating streetlight repairs as a frontline public safety system in New Orleans

On January 13, 2026, just her second day in office, she introduced the first phase of the Lights On initiative in New Orleans East.

The 5 GovTech Conferences That Will Define 2026

Mayor Victor Treviño: Treating gunshot response as a real-time systems problem in Laredo

Victor Treviño is focusing on funding core services, protecting the cityʼs reputation, and reinforcing public safety, while adding a stronger technology focus.

What 2026 Means for Government Tech

Mayor Barbara Lee: Putting guardrails around Oakland city AI before scaling it

Under the leadership of Mayor Barbara Lee, Oakland is prioritizing governance to avoid scattered AI pilots.

The $4.1T Market Hiding in City Hall

Mayor Emily B. Jabbour: Turning collaboration + transparency into a governing system in Hoboken

Jabbour strives to manage Hoboken through defined processes, documented decisions, and consistent engagement.

NASCIOʼs 2026 agenda centers on state control, stable cyber funding, and dependable emergency infrastructure

Mayor John Whitmire: The Operator Mindset In Houston

For Houston under Whitmire, the focus is on competence, predictability, and making city government work as residents expect it to.

Digital Equity Is Shifting from Funding to Execution Across Broadband, Literacy, and Safety

Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Honolulu: Make City Service Requests Transparent

Honolulu is modernizing the way residents and visitors report everyday city problems such as broken streetlights, damaged sidewalks, and clogged storm drains.

The Biggest Issues State and Local Governments Will Face in 2026

Mayor Keith Wilson, Portland: Make Shelter Demand Visible, Not Guesswork

Portland has launched a new Emergency Overnight Shelter Participation Data Dashboard to show the public, month by month, how many people are using the cityʼs emergency overnight shelters.

AI Data Centers and the Public Benefit Claim

Mayor Daniel Lurie, San Francisco: Make Permitting Fast, Predictable, and Transparent

PermitSF is Daniel Lurieʼs umbrella initiative to accelerate recovery by making the permitting process faster, more predictable, and more transparent.

Cloud Migration as the New Operating System for Local Utilities

Louisville Water Company is moving all mission-critical apps to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and expects nearly $7 million in savings over five years.

AI Co-Pilots for Every City Worker

San José 's AI Upskilling Program, a roughly 10 to 12 week course run with San José State and other partners, trains staff to design their own AI assistants.

States Race to Deploy AI Under a Cloud of Federal Uncertainty

A new federal executive order from President Trump tries to curb state AI regulation by threatening to withhold some broadband funds from states with onerous AI laws.

AI-Ready City Hall and a New Trust Agenda

Mayor Mike Johnston is rebuilding trust in government through smarter, visible use of AI in the city of Denver.

The Rise of State Government Digital Service Teams

States are increasingly creating in-house digital service teams to modernize government services with a product and user-centered mindset.

AI-Powered Language Access and a City Built on Belonging

In a city where an estimated 50 languages are spoken, Mayor Arunan Arulampalam has framed language access as fundamental to democratic participation.

Cybersecurity Crosses the AI Rubicon

2025 marks a point of no return for cybersecurity, as AI becomes deeply embedded in both attacks and defenses, permanently reshaping the scale, speed, and nature of cyber threats.

Digital Equity, Civic Innovation, and a City Built on Access

For Mayor Rex Richardson, technology is not just an internal tool, its a part of how Long Beach sees and serves its people.

2026ʼs AI Predictions and its impact on public agencies

2026 will likely bring an AI bubble correction, with overhyped startups folding while durable players double down on real-world value.

Climate Resilience, Housing Justice, and a Desert City Rebuilt Around Equity

Mayor Regina Romero leads Tucson with a governing philosophy shaped by migration, farm work, and the borderlands.