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Jacksonville Ranks Among Top Digital Cities

November 21, 2013
City Moves Up to No. 3 in National Ranking

The City of Jacksonville ranked third nationally in e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government’s Digital Cities survey results. The city moved up from No. 10 ranking last year, highlighting the increasing strength of information technology in Jacksonville.

“Technology plays a crucial role in improving public service,” said Mayor Alvin Brown. “It’s critical that we continue to innovate, find new ways to connect, and deploy better quality services. I’m proud of the hard work from the city and all of our partners that show that Jacksonville is a major player on the national stage.”

Jacksonville shares the No. 3 spot with Riverside, Calif., after Boston, and Louisville, Ky.,and Philadelphia, which are tied for second. Jacksonville is the only Florida city ranked among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas.


"The City of Jacksonville has quickly become a national leader in using information and communication technology to provide innovative and cost effective digital services," said Todd Sander, executive director of the Center for Digital Government. "Community collaboration and partnership are hallmarks of their success and have established Jacksonville as a benchmark for cities and counties across the country." 
 
The Center for Digital Government’s survey reviews progress on information and communication technology practices made over the past year, return on investment, and the demonstrated ability to innovate and leverage creative practices.
 
In their review the City’s survey responses, judges cited the leadership of the City’s Information Technologies Division (ITD) in fostering collaborative solutions to address challenges. In particular, the judges noted the development and use of business intelligence tools, mobile applications, and the consolidation of internet service with partner agencies.
 
In the past year, ITD has developed two new mobile applications, JaxHapps and JaxFerry, partnered with other local agencies to share a 1 gigabit network with $200,000 in savings, and launched a new, internal financial analytics tool to allow city leaders to better manage city spending. A full list of accomplishments can be found on the division’s web page.
 
The city worked collaboratively with partners at JEA, JTA, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Court Administration, Clerk of Court, the Property Appraiser’s Office, Duval County Tax Collector, Supervisor of Elections, and the Jacksonville Public Library in this year’s survey.
 
“JEA is excited to share this award with the city,” said Wanyonyi Kendrick, Chief Information Officer for JEA. “We are thrilled to see our focus on collaboration with the city and upgrades to jea.com, as well as the plethora of other technology service additions, have won national recognition again.”

“I share the Mayor’s vision that technology is critical in serving the public,” said Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr., JTA’s CEO. “As part of our effort to build a world-class public transportation system, we will continue to include the latest technology elements that will make our services easier for our customers.”
 
“By leveraging technology tools not only in response to, but also in anticipation of, the information needs of our customers, the library is now more accessible than ever before,” said Library Director Barbara Gubbin. “Mobile access through the JaxLibrary app means customers can visit us anywhere, anytime. Through Wi-Fi and Internet access, digital materials, more than 800 public computers, and hands-on technology education by library e-specialists, the Jacksonville Public Library provides the technology and tools our customers need today.”

2013 Winners with 250,000 or more population:

1st        Boston
2nd       Louisville, Ky.
2nd       Philadelphia
3rd       Jacksonville, Fla.
3rd        Riverside, Calif.
4th        Henderson, Nev.
4th        Seattle
5th        Corpus Christi, Texas
5th        Las Vegas
5th        Virginia Beach, Va.
6th        Austin, Texas
6th        Chicago
7th        Albuquerque, N.M.
7th        Denver
7th        Long Beach, Calif.
8th        Mesa, Ariz.
8th        Tucson, Ariz.
9th        Baltimore
9th        Los Angeles
10th     Raleigh, N.C.

About the Center for Digital Government

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. The Center is a division of e.Republic, a national publishing, events and research company focused on smart media for public sector innovation. For more information, visit www.centerdigitalgov.com.