Finance

Progress continues for the state of Illinois’ multiple-year digital transformation undertaking, which aims to simplify processes and positively impact state employees across the state’s agencies.

A recent audit of six IT projects within the past two years found many were over budget or delayed. The state’s CIO, Shawn Nailor, acknowledged the findings, tempering them with the progress his relatively young agency has made in recent years.

Sen. Joe Manchin announced the addition of some 86,000 unserved locations to West Virginia’s portion of the FCC broadband map. The map will be used to distribute funding to areas in need of Internet expansion.

The industry’s latest financial reports and other information show the ongoing rise of cloud computing and payments. But amid the growth lurk worries about real and potential hurdles for gov tech.

With staffing issues and few resources, rural counties are most likely to have missed the deadline for correcting the broadband map, meaning they will miss out on millions of dollars in federal funding meant to bring the Internet to rural America.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday signed an agriculture and broadband spending bill into law. The new law earmarks $100 million in funding for rural Internet expansion.

Yakima County, Wash., has been awarded more than $11.3 million by the state's Broadband Office as part of $121 million in grants awarded to 19 projects in underserved communities statewide.

Repowering older, internal combustion school buses as battery-electric versions can extend the life of bus fleets and save districts a lot of money as they transition to EVs.

The Dunn County Broadband Task Force is conducting a regional survey of residents to establish a plan to improve broadband access and grab a portion of federal funding earmarked for state broadband efforts.

The infusion of fresh capital marks the latest private equity investment in gov tech, a growing trend. Michigan-based BS&A sells ERP software to cities for financial management, utility billing and other jobs.

Plus, a new report continues to emphasize the value of a unified approach to broadband, Cleveland finds a nonprofit partner for a citywide broadband network and more.

The Butte County Association of Governments has approved its annual budget for transit, which includes the purchase of four electric buses that are estimated to be on the road by the end of 2025.

A $10 million grant from Google.org is expanding digital navigator programs in 18 rural or tribal communities nationwide, and advocates say the lessons could inform work for years to come.

The COVID-19 pandemic reshuffled commutes, economies and the daily life of cities. Now, city planners and transportation officials and others are having to rethink the future of urban spaces.

County officials have acknowledged that they paid the cyber extortionists who uploaded malware to the Sheriff's Department's computer system. The county paid $511,852 while insurance covered the remainder.

State lawmakers are assigning $25 million to help police departments replace their drone fleets after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration forced local governments to stop using drone technology made in China.

More than three dozen former election officials, members of Congress and Cabinet secretaries are calling on lawmakers to make at least $400 million in election security grant funding available for fiscal 2024.