Upcoming hearings by the New York City Council's Committee on Technology in Government (as of 12.17.04).

Subj: Upcoming hearings by the New York City Council's Committee on Technology in Government (as of 12.17.04).
Date: 12/17/2004 4:26:44 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: bruce.lai@council.nyc.ny.us
Sent from the Internet (Details)



Hello All,
I am informing all of you of the upcoming hearings that the Committee on Technology in Government of the New York City Council is holding. If you can, please join us. All events are open to the general public. No RSVP is necessary.

*****

On Monday, January 10th, 2005 from 2 PM to 5 PM, Dibner Auditorium, Polytechnic University, 5 MetroTech, the Committee on Technology in Government, chaired by Council Member Gale A. Brewer, will hold a hearing entitled, “Oversight: Is Brooklyn Business Suffering From A Broadband Gap?”

Here are the directions to Polytechnic University: http://www.poly.edu/brooklyn/directions.cfm?loc=bk&bn=bk.

Here is a map of the campus of Polytechnic University: http://www.poly.edu/brooklyn/brooklynmap.cfm?loc=bk&bn=bk

The Dibner Auditorium is in Building C – Dibner Library / CATT Building – on the above map.
At this hearing, we will discuss the following:

Is there is a “broadband gap” for Brooklyn businesses?

Does city government have a role in closing this gap, if it does indeed exist?

If so, what role should city government play?

Efforts by the private sector to close this gap; and,
The possibilities of wireless broadband technology as an affordable broadband alternative.
Invited witnesses include:
New York City’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunication (DoITT), Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and Department of Small Business Services (SBS);
Dianah Neff, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the City of Philadelphia;
To learn more about Philadelphia’s efforts, go to: http://www.phila.gov/wireless/.
Jonathan Bowles, Research Director, Center for an Urban Future;

To read Jonathan’s recent broadband report, go to: http://www.nycfuture.org/images_pdfs/pdfs/NY_Broadband_Gap.pdf

Brooklyn businesses associations and small businesses; and,
Major wireline (DSL and cable) and wireless broadband providers.
Please feel free to publicize this hearing.
*****

On Friday, January 28, 2005 at 10 AM, Committee Room, City Hall, the Committee will hold an oversight hearing on NYC-TV, the City’s municipal cable network. More details to come.

*****

The Committee has a web page now.
Go to: http://www.nyccouncil.info/issues/committee.cfm?committee_id=106.

All briefing papers from the current session (beginning in January 2004) are available.

*****

If you know of people who would be interested in the Committee on Technology in Government’s activities, please feel free to forward this e-mail to them. If you know of anyone who would like to receive these e-mails, just have them e-mail me, and I will be put them on the list. Finally, feel free to post this information on any listserve you may belong to or on any website you are affiliated with.

Thank you. I look forward to seeing you at one of our hearings.

Regards,
Bruce Lai

Legislative Policy Analyst
Committee on Technology in Government
New York City Council
250 Broadway, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10007
bruce.lai@council.nyc.ny.us