An app for locating discarded tires and a program to map the condition of the city's sidewalks are two examples of local initiatives aimed at improving Atlanta's environment. With the Mayor's embrace, the city is trying to catch up to tech trends.
"Over the past year, tech-savvy Atlantans have joined the growing legions of citizens who, by hobby or profession, take seemingly meaningless data and use it to propose possible solutions for everyday problems," reports Max Blau. "Whether the city will actually follow through on the potential projects — and avoid some privacy pitfalls — remains to be seen."
"Later this month, the city's Finance Department is expected to launch a new 'open data portal' that will give residents access to Atlanta's revenues, expenses, licenses, debts, awards, and other figures. What started as a project aimed at streamlining massive amounts of open record requests soon turned into a way to create greater transparency — something Atlanta has struggled with over the years."
"While Atlanta has hinted at wholeheartedly embracing data, which Mayor Kasim Reed has backed, the city's initiative is still in its infancy."
FULL STORY: Why Atlanta is taking tiny bits of info very seriously

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