Finance

At a news conference this week, Mayor Jerry Dyer announced that the city had lost more than $600,000 to online scammers who were targeting municipalities nationwide. An American suspect has been identified by the FBI.

With an end of the federal student loan repayment moratorium fast approaching, some in the financial space see technology playing a larger role when it comes to navigating the next steps in a convoluted process.

A new report from the NewDEAL Forum shows different ways that states and local areas can address the digital divide. The report examines approaches from Texas, California, Colorado and several other states.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said $2.2B in federal funds would be available for 35 transit agencies across the country. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City will receive $769 million.

The school board of Pittsburgh Public Schools will decide this month whether an artificial intelligence system will be deployed to fine and discourage people for illegally passing stopped school buses.

During the recent Beyond the Beltway event, state and county CISOs and CIOs talked through the process of evaluating vendor cybersecurity, safeguarding elections, managing federal grants and adopting new defense strategies.

Thanks to an expected uptick in tax collections, the latest Washington legislative session will prove to be a busy one with various proposals, including a 16-year transportation plan.

Federal grants are giving states and localities a big opportunity to invest in their IT systems. But the money is temporary, and they need to choose their acquisitions, and vendor partners, carefully.

Plus, why this weekly column has a new name, the NTIA awards $277 million in grants to enhance broadband in 12 states, and a new Illinois broadband program announces its inaugural cohort.

New Jersey's unemployment system was pounded by the onslaught of claims during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The system has since been tweaked for some success, but challenges remain.

Connecticut Treasurer Shawn T. Wooden said the state will eliminate any Russian-owned assets from its retirement plans and trust funds. The decision is as much about protest as it is business sense.

Gov. Kristi Noem recently announced the launch of the South Dakota Citizen Portal, an updated website that improves service delivery for residents and collects new resources in one place.

Local jurisdictions should consider developing electric vehicle charging plans to compete for federal grants designed to expand EV charging in not only major corridors but also cities and counties.

The city of Beaufort's first expenditure of $1.5 million in COVID-19 relief funds will include the more than $145,000 in cybersecurity enhancements. Upward of $400,000 will be put toward police car and body camera technology.

Michigan Central, the mobility and innovation district Ford Motor Co. is developing in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood, is set to receive a $7.5 million grant to support mobility-focused programming, including new technology deployments.

The Hamilton Town Council has approved up to $36,000 to replace computers, software and a public works vehicle. Officials say around $16,000 of the funds will be needed to replace town computers and accounting software.

If state lawmakers in Hawaii pass legislation to create the group, members will consolidate the state’s executive branch information technology services and staff within five years.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced last week his state would accept cryptocurrency for tax payments by this summer. We discuss whether the move is all hype, or if there's something more to it.