In his first month on the job, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is already making a push to improve government efficiency by signing an executive order (EO) to consolidate all city technology agencies under a single authority, the Office of Technology and Innovation.
The goal of the consolidation is to help the city “streamline [its] operations and foster interagency cooperation.” According to a press release, New York City Chief Technology Officer Matthew C. Fraser will lead the Office of Technology and Innovation.
“I made a commitment to New Yorkers that we would leverage technology to improve the delivery of government services and track agency performance in real time, and we are doing just that,” said Mayor Adams. “Before serving as a transit cop, I worked as a programmer at the NYPD, so I understand how important it is to bring our city’s government into the 21st century. With today’s announcement, we are ensuring that all of our technology agencies are unified under one voice and one leader. I thank Matt Fraser for his dedication to this mission, and his commitment to using innovation to ‘Get Stuff Done’ for New Yorkers.”
In a press release, the mayor’s office said Executive Order 3 “delivers on Mayor Adams’s promise to promote the use of civic technology across city government to make agencies more efficient and responsive, while breaking down silos between disparate agencies.” Additionally, the city said the EO will also enable the city government to collaborate with the city’s technology sector.
“The Office of Technology and Innovation will streamline technology operations across the city and revolutionize how New York City does business, as well as how the city provides services to its residents and visitors,” said Fraser. “We are now entering the era where we can truly use technology in real time to overcome what were perceived to be insurmountable challenges and ‘Get Stuff Done.’“
The city said the Office of Technology and Innovation will be tasked with carrying out the mayor’s tech initiatives, including the creation of MyCity, which the mayor’s office described as a single one-stop-shop portal for all city services and benefits. The office will also oversee and coordinate efforts among the following agencies:
- New York City Department of Information, Technology, and Telecommunications;
- Mayor’s Office of Data and Analytics;
- Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer;
- Mayor’s Office of Information Privacy;
- New York City Cyber Command;
- Algorithms Management and Policy Office; and
- NYC 311.
“The consolidation of all technological systems in the City is the right step to modernization,” said New York State Senator Luis Sepulveda. “The data gathered by government agencies and the way these are shared and analyzed is essential for effective operation. For instance, having accurate information of the calls for assistance that come through 311 is of vital importance to better understand the needs of New Yorkers. I am sure that with portals like MyCity, we will be able to find solutions to the lack of internet access, mobile systems, and technological equipment throughout the City.”
