2014 Challenge Finalist

Middle School Expanded Learning Time

Problem

One of the biggest obstacles in preparing students–especially lower income kids–to contribute as thoughtful young leaders within our community is our antiquated school calendar.

Solution

Mayor Driscoll is leading a coalition of parents, teachers, and researchers to modernize education by redesigning and extending the school day in her city. By implementing an Expanded Learning Time program, the longer school day gives kids more time to gain critical skills, allows teachers to target their time on what works best, and helps parents keep their kids out of trouble after school.

Race to the Tots

Problem

Investing in a 4-year-old’s brain is the single best investment we can make for the longest term return on closing academic and achievement gaps, but it’s been difficult in many places to prioritize funding for preschool and test what works best.

Solution

Senator Ferguson has an innovative solution: “Race to the Tots,” a competitive grant funded by the state lottery that allows local districts to test ideas that demonstrate how expanding access to preschool for low-income families can benefit all of us.

Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program

Problem

Roughly half the private sector workforce, including over 2.5 million Illinois residents, lack access to employer-sponsored retirement plans and will not have enough money saved up for retirement. That means that a large percentage of workers will be almost entirely dependent on Social Security – which is not a sustainable way to ensure older adult participation in our economy.

Solution

Senator Biss proposed that workers in Illinois without access to employer sponsored plans should be automatically enrolled in an IRA so they can easily save for retirement. Neither the state nor employers would contribute to Secure Choice retirement accounts, and assets from individual contributions would be pooled to ensure low fees and secure investments. This program would significantly increase savings rates, taxpayers wouldn’t be on the hook for anything, and employers wouldn’t have to manage any burden more significant than processing a payroll deduction.

Moving Montgomery Forward with Gigabit Speed Networks

Problem

The current absence of a high-speed, ultra-secure, and interconnected network prevents Montgomery County from reaching its economic growth potential by investing in a vibrant life sciences community.

Solution

County Councilmember Riemer has proposed that the county government help facilitate the creation of a high-speed, secure, and interconnected fiber network that will be built based on a co-op, public utility model. The proposed network will connect with the County’s own fiber network and will be funded and built by private sector, anchor institutions already in the life sciences corridor and networking firms seeking to gain a foothold there. The resulting infrastructure will attract additional investment, new companies, and high-paying, high-tech jobs to the county to increase economic competitiveness and growth.

ROI on Tax Expenditures

Problem

In most states and at the federal level tax expenditures (incentives, dedications, exemptions, loopholes etc.) that have not been recently analyzed and updated are draining resources from government budgets. In NM for example, these tax breaks have cost $1 billion of taxpayer money and have not significantly increased job creation.

Solution

Senator Keller is working to bring transparency and accountability to tax expenditures by requiring annual return on investment (ROI) and jobs created reporting. This information would make it easier for impactful programs to be enhanced and wasteful, redundant and out of date programs to be shifted to areas that are more effectively meeting citizen needs and creating jobs.

Innovation Vouchers

Problem

Small businesses often do not have the resources to harness expertise in research and development. Meanwhile, scientific, technological and other research facilities are often looking for new projects. Funding the linkage between these two groups would lead to new opportunities for economic growth.

Solution

Assemblymember Buchwald is proposing to issue “Innovation Vouchers” to small businesses to acquire expertise from universities, national laboratories, or public research institutes. The goal of the program would be to connect research facilities to small businesses, helping create jobs and spur innovation.

Investing for Re-entry Not Recidivism

Problem

The growing rise of recidivism poses a threat to our society’s ability to prepare individuals to become contributing adults. Among the leading cause of recidivism is the lack of employment opportunities and limited educational opportunities for ex-offenders.

Solution

In order to reduce recidivism and improve ex-offender reintegration, prison systems should partner with private industry to develop Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs for prisoners. By placing a greater emphasis on providing marketable skills we improve the odds that they will successfully reintegrate in society.”

Public Investment Action Plan

Problem

More than half of Burlington’s waterfront is currently underutilized. Previous attempts for redevelopment have stalled for over a decade because of a lack of political consensus and constituent agreement.

Solution

Over the course of 2013 the City of Burlington ran a public, transparent, interactive competition to determine how to invest nearly $10 million in TIF investments for the redevelopment of their Lake Champlain waterfront. The competition — open to all individuals and organizations including City departments and private businesses — generated 120 new ideas, new partnerships, and public excitement and consensus about the five selected projects that will be enacted this year.

Denver Peak Performance

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

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.

Middle School Expanded Learning Time

Problem

Solution

Race to the Tots

Problem

Solution

Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program

Problem

Solution

Moving Montgomery Forward with Gigabit Speed Networks

Problem

Solution

ROI on Tax Expenditures

Problem

Solution

Innovation Vouchers

Problem

Solution

Investing for Re-entry Not Recidivism

Problem

Solution

Public Investment Action Plan

Problem

Solution

Denver Peak Performance

Problem

Solution

Chattanooga Open Data

Problem

Solution

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