Finance

A new platform from the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development and a nonprofit partner is giving unprecedented insights into public works wages and compliance with prevailing wage laws.

The ambitious plans to connect underserved parts of California appear to have been slashed disproportionately, threatening to leave some urban communities, including East Oakland and South Central Los Angeles, further behind.

The latest installment of funding comes on top of $1 billion for Alaska rural broadband projects the White House announced in June, and brings the total investment under the Biden administration to about $2 billion.

The Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors this week authorized a sheriff’s department grant application for $50,000, which will be used to purchase and install a software program for tracking criminal and gang activity data.

The proposed extension of a half-cent sales tax that would generate $205 million prompted city officials to launch a website to showcase the various projects the tax would fund, including workforce development, street maintenance and more.

The drone, estimated to cost around $30,000, was bought with a Federal Homeland Security grant. The Kalispell Fire Department was one of six hazardous material response agencies to receive the aircraft and specialized training.

Oroville Police Chief Bill LaGrone said the 25 sets of police car cameras that were approved by the City Council amount to litigation protection by providing a log of what officers encounter both inside and outside of their patrol vehicles.

This week, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown announced $162.5 million in federal funding for high-speed Internet infrastructure and community and workforce development projects. The money comes from the American Rescue Plan's Capital Projects Fund.

Energy-hungry cryptocurrency mining operations have caught the attention of state and federal lawmakers. While some welcome the operations, others are taking a more critical look at what they bring to the table.

As technology improves in the cooperative contract space, Euna said it will integrate with the Pavilion platform. That could mean quicker, more efficient access to more suppliers for gov tech buyers.

The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded the city of Gary $1 million to purchase additional license plate readers. The technology can be mounted on streetlights, poles and police cars.

After hackers used the email account of the New Haven Public Schools chief operating officer to steal more than $6 million, officials there are working to recover the money and block future cyber attacks.

A new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation calls on Congress to take several actions to support digital equity, including sustaining funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program.

The company, founded in 2020, has raised more than $25 million. The fresh capital will go toward R&D and global expansion as crypto and other factors raise more risks of tax evasion.

The gov tech provider has launched ClearPlans, designed to help municipalities streamline strategic planning. Platform tools include budgeting, digital publishing, dashboard and tracking features.

Following the recent announcement of federal funding allocations from the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, experts are weighing in on how to make the most of the opportunity.

OReGO, Oregon’s road-usage charging program, is continuing to evolve with new technology partners that can deliver on a range of fronts like connected vehicle technologies and intelligent transportation systems.

The Affordable Connectivity Program will likely run out of funding in 2024 if no action is taken to sustain it. Experts held a congressional briefing this week to discuss what the end of the program might mean.