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BetaNYC’s testimony to NYC Charter Revision Commission Manhattan Meeting
To: NYC Charter Revision Commission From: Noel Hidalgo, Executive Director of BetaNYC Wednesday, 9 May 2018 Dear Chair Cesar Perales, Vice Chair Rachel Godsil, and Commissioners, It is an honor to have this opportunity to represent New York City’s civic technology, design, and data community. I am the Executive Director of BetaNYC, a member…
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Testimony to the New York City Council on Int. No. 14 of 2018 and Publication of Online Reports — BetaNYC & Reinvent Albany
Testimony to the New York City Council Governmental Operations Committee on the Publication of Online Reports and the Broadcasting of Mandatory Debates April 26, 2018 Good morning Chair Cabrera and members of the New York City Council Governmental Operations committee. My name is Alex Camarda, and I am the Senior Policy Advisor for Reinvent Albany.…
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Dear de Blasio, Re: NYC Automated Decision Systems Task Force — #NYCAlgorithms
For the past year, BetaNYC has called on NYC government to be a global leader on algorithmic government. In the fall of 2017, CM Vacca introduced a bill that was turned into Local Law 49 of 2018. This #NYCAlgorithms LAW gives the city up to 24 months to create a task force and articulate how…
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Testimony on Open Data Examination and Verification Report 2017
Good Afternoon, Chairman Vacca and Members of the Technology Committee, I am Noel Hidalgo, Executive Director of BetaNYC and a member of the NYC Transparency Working Group. I want to start by thanking Chairman Vacca, the members of this Committee, and the Council for your continued commitment to oversight hearings for the Open Data Law.…
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a HUGE win for NYC’s legislative data.
For the last four years, we have been working with various City Council members to get the City’s “source code” online — we’re talking about the City’s charter, laws, rules, and daily record. The City’s charter is equivalent of the city’s constitution. According to the City’s law department, “the charter is the document that defines…
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Testimony for Intro 1696-2017 (Open Algorithms Bill)
“We […] want to ensure that New York City leads the way in ethical algorithmic government. We want transparency around data tools, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and tracking. We want New York City to be the thought leader in smart, ethical, algorithmic government.” – 4 Jan 2016 – http://bit.ly/BetaNYC-2016-YearInReview To: NYC Council – Committee on Technology…
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How to improve NYC’s open data law 2.0?
Last week, we had the chance to join with members of the NYC Transparency Working Group and provide feedback on the future of NYC’s open data law (video). As this bill is under discussion we encourage all to provided your thoughts via councilmatic. Intro 1525-2017 This bill would require updates to the agency compliance plan, to…
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2016’s written testimony for NYC #opendata oversight hearing
Wednesday, 21 September 2016 To the NYC Committee on Technology & Chairperson Vacca, Introduction. BetaNYC is a civic organization dedicated to improving all lives in New York through civic design, technology, and data. We envision an informed and empowered public that can leverage civic design, technology, and data to hold government accountable, and improve their…
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BetaTalk – Affordable Housing: Data, Policy, People (report back)
Affordable Housing: Data, Policy, People Introductory remarks: Noel Hidalgo, Executive Director of BetaNYC Moderator: Lucio Tolentino, Co-organizer of BetaNYC; Data scientist and Civic hacker Panelists: Caitlyn Brazill, CAMBA; Moses Gates, Regional Plan Association; Emily Goldman, Cornell U & BetaNYC; John Krauss, Carto & Accursed Ware Introduction to the Event: On July 8th BetaNYC hosted a…
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Give feedback on NYC’s proposed geospatial #opendata standards
Since 2013, members of BetaNYC have advocated for the City’s open data to conform to open standards. Through our work trying to scrape the City Record, we unearthed headaches trying to define what is where. In a city as complex as the one beneath our feet, there are at least three ways to describe that location. Last…
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On the release of alpha.nyc.gov
Today, NYC.gov launched a new digital front door. We welcome this experiment known as AlphaLabs, civic tech office hours, and, all the other things that the Mayor’s Office of Digital Strategy is doing to make government more accessible. ALSO – We love that Alpha.nyc.gov is built on BetaNYC’s award winning ReinventNYC.gov hackathon idea! Back when…
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Statement of support for NYC’s Digital Services Playbook
Today is a great day to be a New Yorker. With a straight forward vision of intentional inclusion, iterative design, transparency, flexibility, & mobility, New Yorkers have a Mayor and City Council who fundamentally support the use of technology, data, and design to build governments that work for the 21st century. “With the launch of…
