Website: http://www.jimmypaverforaustin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimmypaverforaustin
Twitter: @jimmypaver

Campaign Finance Data Challenge: accepted

Open Data

Many of these issues, such as the Open Data Portal and Open Government Resolution, are discussed in our Open Government Briefing Guide.

⇒ 1. How will you encourage City departments to comply with the Open Government Resolution and place useful data on the open data portal on a timely basis?

Participation is one of the cornerstones of open government. Fully implementing the Open Government directive (2013) will provide an outline for compliance with the Open Government Resolution.

⇒ 2. How would you evaluate departments' compliance with the Open Government Resolution? Would you support a resolution to create a quarterly report card?

Yes, I would support a resolution to create a quarterly report card. The framework defined in the Open Government directive offers an outline for the content of this quarterly report.

⇒ 3. Would you support a resolution to require that any software or software services purchased by the City must be accompanied by an open data plan that indicates how public data managed by that system will be made available to the public?

Yes.

Innovation Office

⇒ 4. This past March, the City hired its first Chief Innovation Officer. What are the specific functions and initiatives you would like to see out of this office to advance the City's open government and open data efforts?

This position offers us an opportunity to increase our city’s transparency and community engagement. I would like to see the CIO develop a plan for fully implementing the Open Government Resolution.

Website and Online Services

⇒ 5. What steps would you take to help ensure the City of Austin website provides the tools and information that citizens and community groups want?

I would support the formation of a task force directed at soliciting and utilizing community input to inform the development of new open data tools.

⇒ 6. Would you support action to create an online issue feedback/reporting system, where a citizen could report an issue with the City's website and other online properties, and track city response to that issue?

Yes.

⇒ 7. There are strong benefits to providing city information and services online. Many residents, however, experience barriers to access. (See discussion of "Digital Inclusion" in our Open Government Briefing Guide.) What do you see as the City's responsibility regarding digital inclusion, and what steps would you take to address these concerns?

I think it is the City’s responsibility to identify barriers to access—such as through the Austin Digital Assessment—and to utilize our city resources to increase access by offering alternatives or accommodations.

Open Data Exercise: Campaign Finance Filings

The City of Austin currently posts candidate and office holder financial statements as scanned facsimiles (PDF format) of the filed, attested documents. In 2012, the City Council approved a resolution to post these filings in a searchable, digital form.

⇒ 8. What would you do to ensure this project is completed before the next municipal election?

Given that the electronic filing software is free and accessible and that it already supports the export of filing information in a searchable, digital form, I would direct the City Clerk to request financial statements in both a PDF (for readability) and CSV (for transparency) format.

⇒ 9. Will you publicly post your campaign receipts and expenditures (as reported to the City on form C/OH) online, in CSV spreadsheet data format, within 30 days of filing a report with the Austin City Clerk? Where will you post it?

In the interest of transparency and cooperation, certainly. It will be posted on my website- www.jimmypaverforaustin.com