Open Data in Denton – Putting Government in the Hands of the Citizens
Cities around the nation are fueling innovation both within and outside of City Hall by unlocking city data and making it accessible to citizens. What do they do with it? Whatever they find useful, of service to others, or even profitable for them.
We are all aware of some examples of government open data and the services and businesses that have been created around it: Global Positioning System (GPS), National Weather Service data, local crime data, street and building data, public transportation data, and the like.
Cities are starting to get into this game and joining the Open Data movement, or Gov 2.0. Check out what has come about as a result in these select cities:
Austin
Chicago
Boston
San Francisco
Having two major universities, ranking 6th in the nation for high-tech jobs, and fostering a growing and engaged creative class, Denton is ripe for the power and possibilities that would come with opening up our data. You might recall a hackathon I hosted at my house last Spring which resulted in the creation of VoteDenton.org – that serves as a great example of what happens when you put government data into the hands of engaged citizens seeking innovative solutions to civic problems.
In my role as Chair of the Council Committee for Citizen Engagement, I’ve brought this concept up for council consideration. I recently presented the following overview of Open Data and why I think it is good for Denton. Read up and let me know what you think…
