Quick Hit News
Pittsburghʼs new mayor, Corey OʼConnor is personally reaching out to IT company leaders to attract and grow businesses in the city. He is also working on modernizing City Hall with faster permitting, better data tools for contracts and maintenance, and partnerships with local AI and robotics firms.
Alabama lawmakers are reviewing HB 584, a bill that would set rules for how much screen time is used in elementary classrooms. It would create a task force to update standards each year, aiming to reduce daily device use and encourage more direct teaching, handwriting, books, and hands-on learning. Some districts already limit screen time to short periods and use screens mainly for research, but leaders say statewide policies may be needed.
Cleveland is debating whether to reinstate traffic cameras, which voters banned years ago. City leaders say fewer tickets since 2015 have made roads less safe, and some residents regret the ban. Mayor Justin Bibbʼs Vision Zero plan suggests using cameras again in school zones and crash-prone areas, though state law limits how much money the city can earn from them.
LA Metro has launched a new online Safety Hub with a Monthly Safety Tracker that makes safety data easier to follow. It turns complex reports into a clear dashboard that shows metrics such as incidents per million boardings, using information from Metro, rider feedback, and law enforcement partners. The goal is to build trust and provide riders and visitors with a transparent view of safety trends, especially as the city prepares for major events like the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.
Community Spotlight
Mayor James Mueller: Building a data-driven transparency and performance framework for public accountability
The City of South Bend has developed a centralized transparency and performance framework that brings together open data, service delivery, and performance management into a single public-facing system. The initiative is designed to make government activity visible and accessible, allowing residents, researchers, and officials to understand how the city operates and where improvements are being made.
At the core of this system are technology and structured data practices that create a shared ecosystem. The city integrates inputs from departments, residents, and external stakeholders such as university researchers, enabling collaborative problem-solving and more informed decision-making. This shifts transparency from static reporting toward an interactive, continuously updated model of governance.
The framework is supported by multiple interconnected platforms. These include an Open Data Portal where underlying datasets are publicly available, a 311 Service Portal for citizen requests and service tracking, and a Transparency Hub that converts raw data into interactive dashboards across areas such as city spending, public safety, and infrastructure. This layered approach ensures that both raw data and user-friendly insights are accessible to different audiences.
A key component is the Transparency Hub, which focuses on usability by transforming operational data into visual dashboards. These dashboards allow stakeholders to explore metrics such as customer service performance, community feedback, and sustainability indicators, making city analytics easier to interpret and act on. The system is designed not just for visibility but for practical use by policymakers, businesses, and residents.
The city is also formalizing its performance management approach through structured planning. A 2026 roadmap outlines priority areas and timelines for departments, signaling a move toward coordinated, goal-oriented governance rather than fragmented reporting. This introduces accountability at both the departmental and city-wide level, aligning operational execution with strategic objectives.
Rather than treating transparency as a compliance requirement, South Bend is positioning it as an operational capability. By linking data access, service delivery systems, and performance tracking, the city is creating a feedback loop where insights can directly inform policy and execution. This reduces information silos and enables more consistent decision-making across agencies.
The broader implication is a shift toward continuous, data-backed governance. By making datasets publicly available and embedding performance tracking into daily operations, the city is building internal discipline while also increasing external trust. If sustained, this model provides a blueprint for how municipalities can integrate transparency, analytics, and service delivery into a unified system rather than treating them as separate initiatives.
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Resources & Events
📅 New Hampshire Digital Government Summit 2026 (Manchester, NH - June 9, 2026)
This summit brings together New Hampshire's state and local leaders to explore how new technology can improve government work, boost teamwork, and deliver better services. It covers topics like cybersecurity, AI, data management, and digital services. The event is free for public-sector participants and features a keynote from Denis Goulet, the stateʼs Commissioner and Chief Information Officer. Details →
📅 Solving the Tactical Data Crisis in Real-Time (Virtual - Apr 28, 2026)
This webcast brings together defense and industry leaders to discuss how agencies can fix broken data systems, share useful intelligence quickly, and help teams make better decisions, even under tough conditions. The discussion highlights the risks of slow or disconnected systems and examines how to balance security with speed, shifting from reacting after the fact to predicting problems before they happen. Details →
📊 Report Spotlight: Cyber Workforce Dashboard Needs an Evidence-Based Go/No-Go (U.S. GAO)
GAO found that OPM's Cyber Workforce Dashboard, launched in 2023, is not providing a government-wide view because most agencies do not use it. Agencies reported access problems, poor functionality, weak communication, and unhelpful data, and OPM has not collected broad feedback or measured use or costs. Read →
Insight of the Week
Cities are redeveloping underused land through mixed-use districts and public-private projects to increase tax revenue and attract businesses. Examples include Omaha planning about $400 million around a new 6500 seat soccer stadium, Baton Rouge eyeing at least $100 million for convention and arena upgrades plus a possible hotel via a P3, Boston proposing a $550 million civic campus with housing and health services, Hoover starting a $145.5 million first phase to remake Riverchase Galleria into a walkable downtown, and Phoenix planning roughly $600 million for a convention center expansion and mixed use district.
For the Commute
Inside EPAʼs regulatory reset with administrator Lee Zeldin (POLITICO Energy)
Joe Schatz talks with EPA chief Lee Zeldin about the agencyʼs new approach. Instead of just cutting rules, the EPA is shifting focus for deciding which problems to tackle and how strongly to act. The changes tie into President Trumpʼs push for more energy production, while also raising questions about health, safety, and politics.
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