A Message from Comptroller Susan Combs
Technology increasingly affects every aspect of local government and economic development. Savvy economic development corporations use their Web sites to “sell” their region’s offerings and provide a rich array of demographic, site and incentives information to potential new businesses. Many Texas cities have used Web sites for years to provide news, communicate with citizens and offer a transparent look at budgets and spending. New social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter let cities and counties interact with residents and citizens in new and different ways, allowing them to offer real-time news and policy updates.
As your strategic partner for local government management, the Comptroller’s office is pleased to present this issue of Texas Rising, which explores the role technology plays in local government and economic development.
In this issue, we visit Galveston, which endured massive destruction and lost crucial services, including power and communications, for days following Hurricane Ike last fall. We talk to a city official to find out how they survived, what they learned and how they are rebuilding and rebooting their information technology infrastructure to weather future storms.
We travel to Kerr County, where the Kerr Economic Development Foundation is ramping up its Web site to sell its communities, incentives and development areas to interested investors and businesses.
Our recurring “Transparency Spotlight” shows how Smith County has aggressively expanded its transparency efforts, posting the check registers for its major operating funds online.
In the spirit of celebrating technology, we’re also pleased to announce the Comptroller’s new Twitter feed, which provides real-time “micro” updates on economic news, features and data.
When it comes to economic development, creating jobs and generating new levels of prosperity, local governments in Texas are focused on rising to the occasion every time.
Susan Combs
Texas Rising won Second Place at the National Association of Government Communicators’ (NAGC) annual Blue Pencil/Gold Screen Awards competition in April. This is the second NAGC award Texas Rising has received since it launched in July 2007. In 2008, it won an Award of Excellence.
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E-mail us at texas.rising@cpa.state.tx.us.
We want to hear about your town’s economic development accomplishments. Whether you’ve landed a new employer or partnered with a university to train tomorrow’s work force, please tell us the unique solutions you’re using to create success in your community every day.