Budget & Finance
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Negotiations have stalled over a state Senate proposal to repeal a sales tax exemption on data center equipment. Gov. Abigail Spanberger raised the possibility of a data center electricity consumption tax. -
The program, designed for water and wastewater systems, builds upon plans released last year by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The move comes amid increasing worries about cyber attacks linked to the ongoing and widening war in Iran.
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Plus, Maine is looking for partners for its middle-mile network, New Mexico has enacted a law establishing a broadband affordability program, fiber infrastructure expansion is continuing, and more.
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As part of an effort to boost national rural broadband access by 2030, the Federal Communications Commission announced nearly $1.5 billion in funding this week. Roughly 6,300 rural homes will be connected in Illinois.
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The National Association of State Chief Information Officers has shown support for the new U.S. Senate bill that would increase collaboration between federal and state and local governments on security and defense.
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Officials now say an ongoing ERP overhaul project is going to take at least four months longer and cost up to $7.7 million more than expected. Council members say paying to complete the project is the only real choice.
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The proposal, made during a Public Health and Safety subcommittee session, comes amid tension over the city’s growing use of surveillance technology and controversial facial recognition software.
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With more tourists in the region, Oneula is included in the list of 13 parks where the city of Kapolei and the Hawaii Tourism Authority will spend nearly $250,000 to install 192 security cameras by the end of the year.
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County leaders are in the early stages of a sales tax measure that would help pay for solar panels, affordable housing and broadband Internet. The one-cent tax is projected to rake in $500 million in its lifetime.
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Lt. Gov. Dan Forest has formed the North Carolina Blockchain Initiative made up of members from academia and the private sector who will present their findings to his office before the next legislative session.
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It will take at least two years for a contractor to build a custom case management system for the Paternity and Child Support Division. The existing system is experiencing technical issues and is currently down.
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The Overland Park Public Safety Committee voted this week to approve $430,000 toward the purchase of body cameras. The department opted to work with the vendor that supplies its in-car cameras.
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Mary Lou Carolan, assistant director of the Newburgh Free Library, noted that the kiosks could help Newburghers participate in the 2020 Census, given that 40 to 60 percent of area residents lack Internet access at home.
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Funding for individual counties ranges from $229 in Hendry County to $524,838 for Orange County. In South Florida, Miami-Dade County was awarded $210,977, Broward got $18,500, and Palm Beach County got nothing.
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Citing an impending lapse in Microsoft operating system support, Information Technology Department officials told council members earlier this year that 400 new computers would be needed countywide.
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Oregon Liquor Control Commission IT staff manually intervene every day to keep the state's third-largest revenue generating agency functioning as optimally as possible while mitigating system failures at least twice a month.
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Assuming representatives from Facebook testify at Senate and House hearings next week, the consensus among industry observers is that the most serious inquiries from lawmakers will deal with the privacy of users.
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People banned from two public buildings in the Idaho city could soon find it more difficult to slip by staff. Officials say the move will boost security, though official regulations are not yet in place.
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In prior years’ capital improvement plans for the city, there was roughly $80,000 envisioned in start-up costs for a body camera program, but that figure has now proved itself to be too low.
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According to Police Chief Scott Schubert, the cities nearly 900 officers will be outfitted with body-worn cameras in 2019. The move comes as an influx of small-town police departments statewide ponder similar programs.
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Last week, the Lake City City Council voted to pay a hacker’s ransom. The bill would be about $470,000, but with cyberinsurance the city would put up only the $10,000 deductible. City leaders didn’t hesitate.
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