Best Practice P3s

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Problem

As traditional funding from the federal government has become increasingly uncertain, state and local governments are struggling to invest in the roads, power grids, and other kinds of infrastructure that we need to ‘build for the future’ in the changing economy. Without a standard set of rules around private funding for public infrastructure, it becomes much more difficult for both the government and private companies to fill this critical void.

Solution

Public Private Partnerships (P3s) are structures to essentially share resources to reduce the cost of construction, and therefore enable more projects, create the associated jobs, and literally build the kind of modern America we want to live in. Senator Keller is working to develop a standard set of best practices for public-private partnerships in order to untap private funding that can lower the cost and speed up infrastructure improvements while still ensuring accountability to the public.

One Stop for Veterans

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Problem

Current programs established to provide benefits and services to veterans often struggle to find and engage the veterans they are meant to serve. Veterans falling through the cracks to the point of homelessness, unemployment, marriage breakups, higher suicide rates only get help when they hit the bottom.

Solution

Mayor Warren proposed a municipally-sponsored Veterans Center, which combined socializing/networking, activities, and speakers along with the opportunity to speak to service providers. This has been a successful model for Newton to better serve the veterans in their community while providing a comfortable environment for them to engage with other veterans.

Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) with a Mission

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Problem

Government budgets are often updated each year based on historical trends rather than adjusting for current needs. This antiquated system of budgeting does not allow governments to find the most effective and efficient ways to serve the needs of their citizens.

Solution

Zero-Based Budgeting with a Mission uses the budget development process to focus government activities on core missions, establish performance measures, and align the organizational structure to the mission, resulting in a transparent, efficient, and effective blueprint for the delivery of services. Each County Department is asked to identify their core mission, identify and eliminate current activities which are outside the mission, and build budgets from the bottom up to meet identified goals.

Denver Peak Performance

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Problem

Government often relies on outside experts and hiring consultants to improve city systems and advise city employees on how to do their jobs better. By focusing only on this outsider, top-down approach, government is spending more money on solving its problems and not inspiring a culture of innovation and trust in government amongst city employees.

Solution

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock launched Peak Performance to invest in Denver’s employees by giving them the tools to solve city problems. Peak offers classes to city employees to help them identify areas for improvement and embrace a new culture of innovation to provide the best service possible. By empowering city employees to find their own straightforward reforms, Mayor Hancock has restored public trust in government, while making city projects run more efficiently and save money.

Chattanooga Open Data

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Problem

Currently the City of Chattanooga has very limited data made public to its citizens, hindering citizen engagement and trust in government.

Solution

Mayor Berke is working to release unprecedented amounts of public data in the city to spur civic innovation and economic growth. From interactive budgeting tools, to applications that show where road closures are — open public data empowers the local development community to help solve difficult civic problems. Through a strong partnership with the Public Library, Chattanooga is also investing in an independent platform to host all community data (nonprofits, private businesses, community organizers)– not just government. The Library will also be an independent advocate for high-quality open data, which is invaluable for the long-term future of government transparency in Chattanooga.

Digital Operating Agreement (OA)

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Problem

Entrepreneurs often face several challenges in getting their businesses off the ground because of high legal fees associated with making sure they meet legal formation requirements. Because of this financial burden, they may go without the legal and governance structure required to ensure the long-term success of their businesses.

Solution

Secretary Miller created the Digital OA, free software that allows limited-liability companies to exist entirely in digital form with basic legal protections and governance. Entrepreneurs who have never met but want to collaborate on something as simple as an iPhone app can meet via chat room, agree to terms on how to set up their business, form that entity online, and run the company without having met – all through the Digital OA. The program was designed to promote entrepreneurial growth, and allow entrepreneurs to focus their time and other resources on their core business. Digital OA is not simply a start-up resource providing formation structure, as it also serves as a common operational hub through which the company’s ongoing legally mandated meetings, decision making, and recording of events can be conducted.

Resilient Leadership Training

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Problem

Every year, counties are faced with disasters, whether man-made or natural. How a county responds to those disasters can have long-term effects on their economic recovery and future success. Strong leadership during times of crisis can help build resilience within a county and help that area recover faster.

Solution

County Supervisor Linda Langston has proposed a training program in Cedar Rapids to prepare local elected officials and key community members to manage and lead in crisis, particularly in disaster response. Better prepared leaders leads to better response, planning, and recovery after disaster and can help a county sustain its economic competitiveness even after facing such challenges.

Reporting of Elder Abuse

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Problem

Currently, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) has an “ad-hoc” system of investigating reports of elder abuse. With no standard, central intake software or investigatory protocol, and each regional and local office collects reports and performs investigations in a purely subjective manner. This leads to long investigation times, unpredictability for facilities and employees being investigated, and inconsistency in treatment and protection of one of our most vulnerable populations.

Solution

House Majority Leader Hoyle has championed legislation to standardize protocol and software for reporting and investigating allegations of elder abuse. By having a uniform and predictable report and investigation protocol, the state can ensure DHS’ resources are being used in the most efficient and effective way possible, while still providing flexibility to acknowledge the nuance and sometimes subjective and emergency nature of elder abuse.

Enhancing Committee-based Governance

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Problem

When state governments are unable to pass critical legislation because of a lack of cooperation between parties and/or lack of public/private collaboration, everyone loses. This lack of legislative progress reduces trust in governing and hinders necessary reform.

Solution

Senator Duff argued that the state could create an inclusive, transparent model for legislative committees that benefits government, the private sector and citizens by promoting collaboration, fairness and bipartisanship. He implemented several policies to foster greater efficiency including requiring the minority party leadership to be involved in all meetings and decision making to garner strong bipartisan support. And by creating strong partnerships with community groups, nonprofits, and private stakeholders, the legislative committee has been able to create a collaborative environment to help bring solutions to the table that benefit everyone.

Crowdsourcing Iowa 911

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Problem

In our ever-developing digital world, traditional 911 procedures no longer empower citizens to immediately report emergencies. Crowdsourcing 911 by actively engaging citizens to use social media tools & text message alerts in a dynamic two-way conversation ensures timely information is available. Currently, some local public safety agencies were purchasing this technology on their own, layering in unnecessary costs all across Iowa, money that could be saved by having a statewide system available to all.

Solution

Senator Danielson has passed a bill to create Crowdsourcing Iowa 911, which integrates traditional dispatch for police, fire & EMS services with social media tools, empowering Iowans to be the ears & eyes of their communities, allowing for real-time two-way communication in a new & modern way. Iowa’s approach is innovative in that it cuts costs, speeds up the adoption of dynamic two-way 911 communication technologies and improves the interoperability of state & local public safety agencies.

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