Open government efforts have been rapidly developing in cities, counties, state government agencies, and federal government agencies. I hesitate to call the developing efforts prolific, but more and more efforts are popping up. A recent article on Govloop, “How Many Open Government Projects Are There?”, helped illustrate the development of the open government movement across the country.
In January, I wrote about the development of the Model Local Open Government Directive. The model was a product of CityCamp Colorado and a collaborative effort of CityCamp, Colorado Smart Communities, Code for America, the Sunlight Foundation, OpenPlans. The model provided cities, counties, and other governments with a framework they could adapt to implement open government principles—transparency, participation, and collaboration. Since that announcement, the open government movement has continued to grow.
The latest update comes in the form of the Open Cook County Plan from Cook County, Illinois. The Open Cook County Plan, which is based at least in part on the Model Local Open Government Directive, “is aimed at making county government data and information publicly available so residents can more effectively understand, interact with and improve government.”
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said, “I know that the historic lack of transparency and accountability has eroded the legitimacy of Cook County government in many residents’ eyes. Quite simply, a government that is transparent and accountable to its residents is a more effective government.” Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey went on to say, “This initiative will allow for unprecedented interaction, allowing residents access and use of county data to better understand how county government is operating and to make recommendations on how to improve and use government and services.”
The Cook County government has clearly recognized the benefits to its citizens and itself that following open government principles will provide. Citizen satisfaction and government efficiency are just a couple of the benefits of open government. The opportunities for cost savings and public and private sector innovation are also abundant.
I applaud Cook County’s effort to become a leader in the open government movement, along with the federal government, San Francisco, Manor, TX, Portland, Vancouver, and many other cities, counties, and other governments. I am also very proud to see the work of several professionals and fellow volunteers being recognized and adapted.
With additional promotion coming at the Sunlight Foundation’s upcoming Transparency Camp and the Gov 2.0a Conference, I expect knowledge and support of the main open government principles—transparency, participation, and collaboration—and the Open Government Initiative to grow.
Colorado Commentary 