Keeping government open and accountable has led to some problems for cities, according to John D. Donahue.
"[D]oes transparency really promote accountability? Some of the time it does, of course. No wholly silly idea draws such wide and lasting consensus. And if forced to choose between the two extremes, too much transparency surely beats too little. But there's reason to worry that transparency is reaching the stage of faddish excess, distracting public managers and citizens alike from a better-balanced portfolio of governance measures. Consider three related ways transparency can go wrong."
Donahue looks at the issue of all that open government data simply being available without any context, the trouble with too many transparency requirements, and issues with only those most interested parties taking advantage of government openness.
FULL STORY: Seeing Through Transparency
City Data to the Masses
A growing number of cities are opening up public data streams to computer developers. Some say the move will improve civic discourse, but the nascent trend is still developing.
Trump Administration's Draft Budget Raises New Concerns About Data Collection
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'Open by Default': Louisville Opens Data to the Public
Louisville has shown leadership in the open data movement by doubling the amount of data it shares with the public in the past year.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
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Paris Voters Approve More Car-Free Streets
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says the city will develop a plan to close 500 streets to car traffic and add new bike and pedestrian infrastructure after a referendum on the proposal passed with 66 percent of the vote.
Making Mobility More Inclusive
A new study highlights the challenges people with disabilities continue to face in navigating urban spaces.
Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
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