Dialed Into Democracy

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There’s an app for almost everything.

My son goes to college in New York. Cameron is not the most talkative person, but I do hear from him multiple times a day. We do not talk, we play an iPhone game called Words With Friends, a simple Scrabble rip-off. We do it two or three times a day so that, after a week or so, we’ve completed a game and he starts trouncing me again. We may not talk or e-mail, but we do communicate daily. I know he’s OK, and he knows I am keeping in touch. It is not exactly revolutionary, but it is fun.

I just added an iPhone application that could be radical. Do it Yourself Democracy uses my iPhone’s GPS to pinpoint my location then facilitates immediate communication with whatever local government has jurisdiction. I can e-mail a mayor, or notify public works about potholes, tree problems or any host of concerns. I can complain about an abuse of power by a public employee or official or even suggest a local ordinance – all with a simple finger on a touchpad. I do not even need to know what town I am in.

DIY Democracy is not even the only application of its kind. Though still a novelty, it points out a fundamental concern government at all levels is going to have to address. In a world of instant communication, with devices and applications providing immediate answers, how patient will constituents be with the lugubrious pace of government (in)action?

All of our expectations of instant communication and immediate response will carry over to government. I am way beyond the app-friendly demographic, but I do know that people who grow up with technology are bound to be less patient with process and absolutely intolerant of inaction. The generations growing up with iPhones, BlackBerries and the Droid are not going to be content to wait in a series of lines to gain approval from their local government for a simple task.

At the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce we are consistently examining how we use technology and how we can retool to better service our membership. We evaluate our needs and benchmark our efforts against those of our peers around the country. When one of us sees something innovative being done by a chamber in Michigan; Miami; or Maui, Hawaii; we see if we can incorporate similar services into our Web site. For our organization to remain competitive, we have to provide the best service for the lowest cost as efficiently as possible. Most often, that can only be done through technology. It is not revolutionary, but we do our best to stay current.

I recently had to pull a permit to do some work on my house. In all, I spent 45 minutes at Pasadena’s permit center. Not bad, really. But if Pasadena were equipped, why couldn’t I get my simple permit using my iPhone? Really though, is any level of government examining, let alone implementing, application-driven constituent service? Now that 20 percent (and growing) of Americans have smart phones when will our government bureaucracies begin developing processes and procedures to ensure immediate response to constituent needs? When my 21-year-old son needs a municipal approval, he is not going to wait hours – let alone days or weeks – for an approval. He will do business someplace that is convenient for him, someplace that allows permitting, scheduling and more to be done via his iPhone.

Appropriate app

For commercial interests, an application-driven government could significantly reduce time spent waiting for responses. Want to permit a simple tenant improvement in a commercial building? There will need to be an app for that. Want to schedule an occupancy inspection? There will need to be an app for that, too – at least in cities, counties and states that want to be business friendly and promote economic development.

While local governments are eviscerating budgets to cope with falling revenues, their constituents are demanding more and faster service. Technology is the answer, if local government is willing to embrace efficiency, and replace process with applications and software.

Why shouldn’t anyone be able to schedule a permit inspection instantly from wherever they are? Why shouldn’t they be able to pull a simple permit online or through a mobile device application? More importantly, people who have grown up with technology are not going to wait at a permit window, call multiple times to schedule an inspection or have to return multiple times to an office to gain an approval.

In an application-driven world, how long will an applicant wait for an entitlement? If I can get permitted over the internet in Glendale, will I even consider going through the lengthy process in Pasadena or Los Angeles? When Pasadena enables instant scheduling and permitting, will that be enough of a competitive edge to lure business away from another jurisdiction? By embracing innovation, can California attract business by being the first state with an instant response? Is that enough to overcome the ever-rising cost of doing business in our state? Can Pasadena, Burbank, Los Angeles or California afford not to invest in the kind of technology that will enable immediate response and instant approval?

Does anyone know a techie who can create a Pasadena chamber iPhone app?

Paul Little is president and chief executive of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce.

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