Authorizing City Council's Committee on Technology and Information Services to hold public hearings for the purpose of determining the current condition of the City's information technology (IT) environment and the Office of Innovation and Technology's plans for improving and supporting the internal requirements of City departments and agencies which will enable the public and City agencies to interact efficiently, creatively, and transparently.

WHEREAS, Information technology and technology services are more critical to the successful operation of municipal government than ever before; and

WHEREAS, A fully operational and modern IT environment enables City employees to carry out their responsibilities more effectively and efficiently while also providing the public with immediate access to information and assistance: and

WHEREAS, An effective and efficient IT system would increase accountability, transparency and citizen involvement between our government and the residents of Philadelphia, especially given the fact that the people of this City are increasingly connected to and dependent upon online technologies and social media; and

WHEREAS, Notwithstanding these measures, tremendous challenges continue to confront the City's IT environment, including the need to substantially upgrade or replace existing technology and software, much of which appears to be antiquated, ineffective, and unstable; and

WHEREAS, There is clear and continuing frustration among City officials and employees over the lack of progress in updating the City's IT environment, the capacity of the City's IT environment to support their work and the limited information available to more fully understand the challenges being faced by the Office of Innovation and Technology to address these issues; now therefore,

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council's Committee on Technology and Information Services is hereby authorized to hold public hearings for the purpose of determining the current condition of the City's information technology (IT) environment and the Office of Innovation and Technology's plans for improving and supporting the internal requirements of City departments and agencies, and enabling the public and City government to interact efficiently, creatively, and transparently.

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