Mayors Reveal Visions and Goals for New Fiscal Year

By Rachel Eckert, SLED Manager

As we approach the start of a new fiscal year for many local governments, we’ve been able to catch a glimpse of the visions and goals for the upcoming year through State of the City addresses that highlight a city’s budget, goals and key issues. The importance of understanding these issues is the first step towards creating lasting relationships with local municipalities.

The National League of Cities has just released their 2019 State of the Cities Report  which analyzes the content of 153 of those State of the City speeches from around the country from cities of all sizes. Here are the top ten issues:

1. Economic Development
2. Infrastructure
3. Health & Human Services
4. Budgets & Management
5. Energy & Environment
6. Housing
7. Public Safety
8. Demographics
9. Education
10. Government Data & Technology

Most of the issues are not specifically technology related, however, that doesn’t mean that technology isn’t a vital component. Understanding the issues and what activities a city is planning to undertake to address them can give you insight into areas of opportunity.

Taking infrastructure as an example: 57% of speeches discussed aging roadways and streets. Technology will play a key role by helping deliver improved efficiency, flow and safety. For example, improvements to traffic congestion can be achieved through analytics software and cities can enable pedestrians to cross busy roadways more safely with IoT-based sensors and cameras. Connecting your technology to a direct need and issue a city is facing helps to establish that rapport and build a relationship.

Many cities have seen the benefits technology can bring to communications, among city departments and between the city and residents. Providing an avenue for bidirectional communication allows cities to work with residents to deliver more dynamic and responsive government. Here’s where technology can help:

1. Streamlining government operations – Applications to improve efficiency and city service effectiveness.
2. Collecting and tracking performance – Data management, analytics and business intelligence software to provide a data governance structure to accurately collect and track city performance.
3. Smarter decision making – Applications and technology to collect data from citizens, city infrastructure and city assets that enable smarter, more strategic decisions.
4. Sharing data and engaging with residents – Platforms that allow data sharing and social media engagement software that streamlines and tracks resident engagement.

Strategically aligning your technology to specific issues and helping cities streamline their processes and improve operational efficiencies will go far in gaining the trust of city leadership and building long-term relationships.

Need help understanding specific city goals and issues? Reach out to our Market Intelligence team today to see how we can help you better target your technology.

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