Brent.fm • a technology mixdown

“To help build a new foundation for the 21st century, we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient, more transparent, and more creative.”

-PRESIDENT OBAMA, APRIL 25, 2009

Federal Guiding Principles

Innovation in Public Administration: Creating an Open and Secure Government

Strategic federal IT investments will make Government more transparent and accountable. At the same time, Americans will know that these investments by their Government are being leveraged to produce maximum value, and that the security of information systems nationally, and the privacy of Americans, are being protected. Strategic investments in IT are at the heart of the efforts to make Government services more effective, accessible, and transparent.

Restoring a Culture of Accountability through Openness and Transparency of Government Operations and Information Moving Toward Unprecedented Openness: Change the presumption under the Freedom of Information Act to favor voluntary disclosure of government information to the public.

Making Critical Government Information Available: Working to provide public access to information of public import and concern, such as the Department of Justice “torture” memos, the President’s and Vice-President’s tax returns, the public financial disclosure reports for White House personnel, and presidential records.

Hawaii County Foundations for Open Democracy

Definition
The effort to build this foundation is commonly referred to in the United States as an “Open & Transparent Government.” An Open & Transparent Government reduces bureaucracy. Transparency increases accountability and sheds light on the best and worst practices currently in operation. At a local level this kind of change requires “good ol’ boy” networks to do business differently. Where there is red tape in government this kind of change brings more participation and trust of government creating a more perfect union.

The Need
We understand that the only thing standing between us and sustainability is data. We need to know what our supplies are such as food, water, energy, housing etc. We need data to act. By providing data, we provide the raw material to make decisions. Education and investment in technologies cannot happen without data. Given the data, the public will can then convert the raw data into usable information. Information creates jobs, prosperity and sustainability.

An Open & Transparent Government in Hawaii Nei enriches and breeds a culture of aloha.

Bringing new light to government processes allows anyone to easily understand and if they wish, participate in the process. Others may want to collaborate on the effort to work with local government. Many other roles will be interested in many other areas and this is good for the process. When citizenry participates in the process everyone wins.

• For business owners, this can mean more opportunity to bid on County projects.
• For consumers, an Open and Transparent Government can help reduce the cost of food, energy, shelter and water.
• For persons with disabilities, video archives of all County Council meetings might be heard, read or seen online.
• A more open government helps folks participate in meetings, discussions and committees.

Participation, collaboration and transparency in our local government will become a key sustainability indicator.

We can’t hit a target we can’t see, so we must learn our key sustainability metrics. We need a baseline.

• How much water do we have on hand and what are the factors that affect our water supply?
• How much food do we have? How much do we need?
• How much energy do we produce? How much does it pollute? What does it cost and what other sources are available?
• How many people are without homes? How many homes are we building? How many homes are selling? What do they cost?
• What is most affecting our energy costs? How can we increase competition among energy suppliers?
• How much is our health care? How many people need healthcare? Are people suffering from a lack of healthcare?

Starting with basic information on our island’s key sustainability metrics might be a fair place to start.

Our natural resources, our culture of aloha and our ability to become completely self-sufficient are not rights given to you by anyone. They are inalienable. The data is yours. You need to take it back.

The federal government has taken the lead when it comes to sharing data. Although currently, no data from Hawaii government is being shared at data.gov, we can set expectations and policy in Hawaii County. Doing so prepares us for accepting, using and re-sharing data useful in our local efforts. The following recommendations are ready for vetting at the local level.

Government employees, officials, departments, agencies, non-profits and all non-government organizations are invited to participate in the discussion online. These recommendations are being shared with everyone in the public and private sector to solicit feedback.

To get started we’d like to propose the sharing of information. We’d like to ask Hawaii County Data Systems to take a lead role in the sharing of Hawaii County Data. The meaning of data can vary according to its context. So let’s look at the Federal Government’s definition of data. define what we mean by “data”.

We consider data as a value or set of values representing a specific concept or concepts. Data become “information” when analyzed and possibly combined with other data in order to extract meaning. It is at this crossroad between data and information that we seek help from local government.

Additional reading: Kundra talks Data.gov http://www.gcn.com/Articles/2009/04/29/Kundra-talks-data-gov.aspx