1. Encourage open data

Will you encourage City departments to place useful data on the open data portal on a timely basis? If so, how will you do this?

We should place the data on open portals and we should encourage the creation of standard APIs for access to this data or use standards that are in existence elsewhere. In any case, it’s an opportunity for Austin to be a technology leader and provide information to citizens. We could potentially create an app and earn revenue from it. I would direct the city manager to investigate this.

2. Social media

How do you and/or your staff view the value of social media in promoting citizen engagement and service delivery? What has been your experience with social media?

It’s enormously important and we are using it for my campaign for mayor. We’re giving folks buttons for their websites, we’re giving folks Vote for Brigid profile pictures to use on their social media and other things to help folks spread the word.

3. Website usability and content

What steps (if any) will you take to address the needs of community groups and concerned citizens seeking to improve website usability, identify missing content, and enhance the information richness of the City’s website?

There are numerous problems with the new city website and I would encourage the creation of a citizen task force to leverage all interested parties to improve it.

4. 311 Services

Do you support studying whether Austin should join cities such as Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. in pledging support for a publicly-accessible open-standard protocol for 311 services, such as the currently proposed Open311 API specification?

Yes, see answer to 1.

5. Director of Digital Innovation

Do you support the designation of a Director of Digital Innovation to be accountable for innovation with the City’s digital portfolio (e.g. website, open data, civic applications, open government technology)? Please consult the following article for further information of this type of public servant position.

Yes and I’m working with individuals who are actively pursuing this elsewhere. We need this in Austin.

6. City strategy for digital innovation

San Francisco and Philadelphia have Innovation Offices led by a Chief Innovation Officer. Boston has the Urban Mechanicsprogram. New York City has a Chief Digital Officer and a Digital Roadmap. Which of combination (if any) of these organizational approaches do you believe will best encourage digital innovation for Austin?

I’d like more information on which approach has been more effective, but I’d prefer whichever structure is most adaptive and effective.

7. Budgetary resources

Do you believe the current level of budgetary resources allocated towards City information technology is sufficient? What should be the City’s IT priorities?

We need to have our IT functions work right--like the billing system. I’ll need more research on how much money we’re currently spending and how useful it is. But the top IT priority must be to have our systems work properly and serve our citizens, and they are not currently.