A survey ranking Riverside among the top urban locations nationwide where people are benefiting from Internet connectivity points to how the municipality is “making technology work” for residents and businesses, a city official said Friday.
“Residents and business owners are using technology more than ever in their daily lives, and the city is committed to providing them with the tools they need,” said Riverside Chief Innovation Officer Lea Deesing.
Deesing joined other city officials in touting the results of the 2016 Digital Cities Survey, published last week by the Folsom-based Center for Digital Government. On the list of metropolises with populations between 250,000 and 499,999, Riverside landed in the No. 5 spot.
The survey ranked municipalities on their open data portals, overall transparency, cybersecurity measures, social media policies and general use of technology to improve civic engagement.
“Riverside’s top-five ranking reflects the commitment our city has demonstrated in making technology work for our residents,” Deesing said.
Mayor Pro Tem Andy Melendrez touted the city’s 311 app and EngageRiverside.com website as examples of how “Riverside is meeting residents and business owners where they spend much of their time — online.”
“It’s exciting to see government being opened up to the community with these innovative tools,” he said.
The city of Los Angeles claimed the top spot on the Digital Cities Survey. Other California locations that made the cut, under various population criteria, were San Francisco, Long Beach, Sacramento, Newport Beach and Palo Alto.
— City News Service