New program will give Salinas residents instant access to data
UPDATED 1/24/17 5:30 PM: A global non-profit plans to work with the City of Salinas to provide special technical assistance to make the community a better place to live. That non-profit is called Bloomberg Philanthropies. They have a program called “What Works Cities”. The idea is to enhance a city’s use of data and evidence to make information more accessible to the public. City leaders say they worked hard to form the partnership. “It was a competitive process and then we went through a really rigorous interview,” said Gary Petersen, the Salinas Director of Public Works. After an interview process, Salinas was named a “What Works City” – just one of only 57 in the entire country. City officials say this new designation gives them what’s needed to improve the community by giving access to data collected by the government. “Our community can access that data and look at crime statistics, library statistics, economics,” said Petersen. “Economics, all the things that show, that are indicators of the health of the city. Mayor Joe Gunter says the new tools will also make getting certain public records a smoother process. “We’re going to be able to give them up to date data instantly,” said Gunter. “They’re not going to have to wait six weeks, 10 days, the information’s going to be out there.” Residents say they’re happy the city can keep them better informed. “We are people and we should have a quality of life and making the neighborhood safer, that’s very important,” said James Lynch, a 40-year Salinas resident. “I think it’s a great idea,” Michael, another Salinas native said. “It’s one thing to talk about it but we’ll have to put it into action too.” The city plans to do that over the next four months with help from the national program. Gunter says it’s part of his larger goal to keep the public informed. “Everything we do is with their money and with their resources,” said Gunter. “I think the public expects that and they should receive it.” PREVIOUS STORY: Salinas residents will soon have access to statistics on everything from crime and economics to library use, thanks to a partnership between the city and a global non-profit group.
On Tuesday, city leaders announced that Salinas is one of 57 cities designated by Bloomberg Philanthropies as a “What Works City.” The program is designed to allow the city to find and share data instantly.
According to Salinas mayor Joe Gunter, public records will soon be available in seconds, rather than days or even weeks.
Tonight, KION reporter Zach Fuentes looks into the program and hears what Salinas leaders hope it will accomplish.
