Finance

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal for a balanced state budget would spend $168 million to “standardize and streamline data collection” across state community colleges. It would also create two new entities.

The capital city received nearly $8.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and committed it all. To date, $4.5 million has been spent on internal projects including updates to at least three areas of tech.

Plus, the BEAD Progress Dashboard gets updated this week, a comprehensive report examines website accessibility across government, and one Georgia county gets to work on digital inclusion.

In a high-level view of the 2025-2026 fiscal year state budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted technology work and reforms by the Office of Data and Innovation, which is helping lead California’s tech evolution.

Plus, North Carolina launched a new website to support digital inclusion, Massachusetts is investing in connecting public housing properties, CISA issued mobile communications guidance, and more.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program has seen significant advances in 2024, and its program director expects this path will continue in 2025 under a new presidential administration.

The Alaska Department of Revenue will work with Saige Consulting to modernize the Dividend Application Information System, by which qualifying residents receive their annual stipend. The new solution is expected in 2026.

State and local agencies have until Dec. 31 to commit federal funds they received through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund as part of the response to the pandemic. Anything not obligated must be returned.

Plus, the Federal Communications Commission is pushing for greater network security measures after a cyber attack, additional funding has been awarded through the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and more.

A so-called “man-in-the-middle” cyber attack last month compromised the city’s transfer of nearly half a million dollars to pay for excavation during a water infrastructure replacement project. The FBI is among agencies investigating.

White Lake Township was “a victim of a sophisticated cybersecurity attack,” its police chief said. The incident has compromised a portion of $29 million in infrastructure bond funds. Federal authorities and local police are investigating.

Plus, Kansas will soon open funding applications to expand connectivity, a Colorado county is receiving federal funding for broadband, the economic benefits of improving Internet access in Harlan County, Ky., and more.

Plus, more states have been awarded federal funding from the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and the city of Boulder, Colo., has announced a new partnership to expand community broadband.

The city manager began the budgeting process anew with new software that provides a more granular, transparent view of finances, and a “true cost allocation” of revenue and expenses. The result was a proposed 2025 budget with no deficit or sharp service cuts.

The young company, which wants to make procurement easier for local governments, has its eyes set on geographic expansion and product development. The funding arrives as procurement offices face staffing challenges.

Plus, additional states have been awarded federal funding from the Digital Equity Act; St. Louis, Mo., is installing free Wi-Fi in parks; Yolo County, Calif., preserves free digital literacy classes in Spanish; and more.

The company’s platform is designed to give vendors early insights into RFPs and other public business via analysis of government meetings. The company’s CEO says Cloverleaf has big plans for 2025.

The mistakes in the courts’ distribution system resulted in more than $26 million in fees going to the wrong sources over a five-year period, the Iowa Judicial Branch has said. The branch is examining its case management system.