NYC LOCAL: Monday 2 May 2005 NYC Committee on Technology in Government: Telecommunications Infrastructure and Economic Development

[secretary]

<blockquote
  what="official Committee on Technology in Government of the New York City 
Council announcement">

  Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 19:53:50 -0400
  From: Bruce Lai <bruce.lai@council.nyc.ny.us>
  Subject: Upcoming hearings by the Committee on Technology in Government of 
the New York City Council (as of 4.26.05).

  Hello All,
   
      On Monday, May 2, 2005 at 10 AM, 14th Floor Hearing Room, 250 
  Broadway, the Committee on Technology in Government will hold a hearing 
  entitled Review of the Administration's Telecommunications 
  Infrastructure and Economic Development Study.  Last year, the Economic 
  Development Corporation (EDC), the Department of Small Business Services 
  (SBS) and the Department of Information Technology and 
  Telecommunications (DoITT) commissioned a study of the 
  telecommunications infrastructure of New York City and its role in 
  promoting economic growth.  Here are links to the press release and the 
  report:

      * http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2005a/pr152-05.html
      * http://www.nycedc.com/about_us/TelecomPlanMarch2005.pdf

      This study contains recommendations on (1) enhancing network 
  reliability (2) improving access to broadband and (3) encouraging 
  innovation. The goal of the hearing is to get commentary on whether the 
  findings of the study are accurate and, more importantly, 
  comprehensive.  The Committee would also like to discuss whether the 
  recommendations contained in the study will lead to a telecommunications 
  infrastructure that will make affordable broadband available to all New 
  York City residents, nonprofit organizations and businesses in the near 
  future.  Representatives of EDC and DoITT have been invited to testify, 
  along with stakeholders from the private sector, telecommunications 
  experts and nonprofit organizations interested in bridging the digital 
  divide.
   
     Also, at the May 2 hearing , the Committee is planning to vote on 
  proposed Int. No. 174-A, which mandates the DoITT "to make available 
  periodic reports regarding data collected from the 311 Citizen Service 
  Center."  Below are links to the briefing papers from the last two 
  hearings held on this legislation. 

      * http://webdocs.nyccouncil.info/attachments/61179.htm
      * http://webdocs.nyccouncil.info/attachments/62892.htm

      Int. No. 174-A is in the process of being finalized and will be 
  available at the hearing and after on the City Council's website.

  --
   
      On April 20, 2005, the Committee introduced legislation 
  (http://webdocs.nyccouncil.info/textfiles/Int%200625-2005.htm) to create 
  a "a temporary task force to study how affordable broadband access can 
  be made available to all New York City residents, nonprofit 
  organizations and businesses."

      This is what the Council Member Gale Brewer, Chair of the Committee 
  and prime sponsor of Int. No. 625, had to say about the legislation:

      "Ensuring the availability of affordable broadband is about more 
  than providing access to essential Internet tools like job resources, 
  online banking and continued job training and education," said Council 
  Member Brewer, chair of the City Council's Technology in Government 
  Committee. "It is obvious that within the next several years those that 
  do not have access to the new generation of broadband-driven 
  communications technologies, such as Internet telephony (VOIP), 
  telemedicine and telecommuting will be at a distinct disadvantage.  We 
  need to ensure that the city has the infrastructure to provide our small 
  businesses, non-profits and low-income residents with the tools they 
  will need to compete and flourish." <>

      Below are links to some articles on the legislation:

      * http://www.muniwireless.com/archives/000656.html
      * 
http://www.corante.com/newyork/archives/2005/04/22/new_yorks_broadband_task_force.php

      The current plan is to hold a hearing on Int. No. 625 on Friday, 
  June 10, 2005 at 10 AM in the Committee Room, City Hall.

  --

      On Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 1 PM, Committee Room, City Hall, the 
  Committee will hold an oversight hearing on the development of the New 
  York City information technology (IT) industry.  More details on this 
  hearing to come.

  -- 
   
      Recently, for your information ...

      On Tuesday, April 19, 2005 at 1 PM in the Committee Room, City Hall, 
  the Committee held an oversight entitled Review of the Integrated Human 
  Services Project: Update and Future Plans.  At the hearing, the 
  Committee received an update on the progress of the system from the 
  Mayor's Office and the Department of Information Technology and 
  Telecommunications.  The City is moving forward to two pilots projects; 
  the first one slated for release at the end of 2005 and the second one 
  for 2006.  The Committee also heard testimony from representatives of 
  the nonprofit sector about the necessity of the system and the 
  importance of City government working with them on this project.  Here 
  is a link to the briefing 
  paper: http://www.nyccouncil.info/issues/report_act.cfm?mtfile=T2005%2D0491.  
  If anyone would like copies of testimony from this hearing, please 
  contact me.
   
      Also ...

      The City of Philadelphia recently released its Wireless Philadelphia 
  business plan.  If you have not read it yet, below are links to it as 
  well as the associated Request for Proposal to build their citywide 
  wireless broadband network.

      * 
http://www.phila.gov/wireless/pdfs/Wireless-Phila-Business-Plan-040305-1245pm.pdf
      * http://www.phila.gov/wireless/pdfs/WP RFP 4-5-05 rev v4-CLEAN.pdf
        
<http://www.phila.gov/wireless/pdfs/WP%20RFP%204-5-05%20rev%20v4-CLEAN.pdf>

      Here's what Council Member Brewer has to say about the City of 
  Philadelphia's wireless initiative:

      "New York City has much to learn from the 'Wireless Philadelphia' 
  initiative," Council Member Brewer said. "Our challenges are different 
  and our process will likely yield a different solution.  But, 
  Philadelphia had the courage and foresight to tackle the most difficult 
  issues surrounding telecommunications, and we must do the same.  We must 
  balance New Yorkers' right to the benefits that broadband access brings 
  with responsible telecommunications growth and policy."

  *****
     
      The following is an event you may be interested in attending.
   
      Building the Broadband Economy, June 13-14, New York City
             
      "Building the Broadband Economy" is the 2005 edition of the 
  Intelligent Community Forum's annual conference and awards program.  It 
  explores how cities and town are coping with the challenges of a 
  globalizing world and building vibrant local economies based on 
  broadband and information technology.  It brings an audience of leaders 
  from business, government and the nonprofit sector to New York City to 
  explore what it takes to compete in the fast-emerging "broadband 
  economy," how broadband is changing our communities, and who will be the 
  winners and losers of the Digital Age.  Registration includes the 
  Intelligent Community Awards of 2005.  Produced in association with the 
  Institute for Technology & Enterprise at Polytechnic University.  For 
  more information, go to the following link:

      * http://www.intelligentcommunity.org/html/building_broadband.html
        <http://www.intelligentcommunity.org/html/building_broadband.html%3E>

      Note: Council Member Gale Brewer will be delivering a keynote 
  address at this conference.

  *****
   
  About the New York City Council's Committee on Technology in Government
   
      The primary goals of the Committee on Technology in Government are 
  (1) to expand digital equality by increasing access to broadband in 
  underserved communities of New York City (2) to increase the strategic 
  use of technology in government, thereby, increasing efficiency in 
  government and enhancing the quality of public services, and (3) to 
  promote the openness and transparency of government by making sure that 
  public information is accessible to every New York City resident.  
  Through its ability to hold oversight hearings over City agencies and 
  introduce and hear legislation, the Committee on Technology in 
  Government works to achieve its goals in partnership with the private, 
  public and nonprofit sectors.
   
      More information about the Committee and the Chair of the Committee, 
  Council Member Gale A. Brewer, can be found at the following link: 
  http://nyccouncil.info/issues/committee.cfm?committee_id=106&ltsbdkey=5121 
  <http://nyccouncil.info/issues/committee.cfm?committee_id=106&ltsbdkey=5121>. 
 
  All Committee briefing papers from the current session (beginning in 
  January 2004) are also available at this link.
   
  *****
   
      If you know of people who would be interested in the Committee on 
  Technology in Government's activities, please feel free to forward this 
  e-mail to them.  If you know of anyone who would like to receive these 
  e-mails, just have them e-mail me, and I will be put them on the list.  
  Finally, feel free to post this information on any listserve you may 
  belong to or on any website you are affiliated with.
   
      Thank you.  I look forward to seeing you at one of our hearings.
   
  Regards,
  Bruce Lai

  -- 
  Bruce Lai
  Legislative Policy Analyst, Committee on Technology in Government
  New York City Council 
  250 Broadway, 14th Floor
  New York, NY 10007 
  Work: 212.788.9109
  Fax: 212.788.9168
  E-mail: bruce.lai@council.nyc.ny.us
    
</blockquote>


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