PowerBI
Every local government department has a budget. Every department has an obligation to spend that budget effectively — not just avoiding overspending, but ensuring that appropriated funds are fully deployed in service of the residents they were allocated to serve. And in most municipalities, the visibility that department heads need to
smart metering
Smart water meters are one of the most discussed technology investments in local government utility management — and one of the most practically impactful ones actually being deployed at scale across mid-size American cities right now. The conversation around smart metering often stays at the level of capability description: these
python
Every local government data professional knows the report. It comes due at the end of every month without exception. It pulls data from three or four different systems — the call center platform, the ERP system, the work order management tool, maybe a separate billing export. Someone spends two to four
PowerBI
Every local government data professional reaches a point where they are maintaining both PowerBI dashboards and Excel workbooks simultaneously — and wondering whether that redundancy is necessary or whether one tool should replace the other. The honest answer is that neither replaces the other. Microsoft is not replacing Excel with PowerBI.
utility billing
A utility billing department operates at the intersection of two distinct accountability frameworks simultaneously — and most KPI lists written about utility billing miss this entirely. The first framework is financial. A utility billing department is responsible for generating the revenue that funds water, sewer, and stormwater services for an entire
smart city
The phrase "smart city" has been circulating in local government circles for over a decade. For much of that time it described an aspiration more than a reality — a future state where sensors, data, and connectivity would transform how cities operated, presented mostly through conference keynotes and federal
budget transparency
Budget data is one of the most important and most underutilized assets in local government. Every department has an appropriated budget. Every department tracks expenditures. And in most cities, that data sits in an ERP system or finance department spreadsheet — accessible to accountants, invisible to department heads, and entirely opaque
housing affordability
Housing affordability is one of the most politically charged topics in local government — and one of the most analytically misunderstood. The phrase gets used constantly in council meetings, planning documents, and community conversations, but the underlying data that should anchor those conversations is rarely examined with precision. This article cuts
census data
The Census Bureau website is one of the most valuable free resources available to local government professionals — and one of the most confusing to navigate. Dozens of datasets, multiple survey types, overlapping geographies, and a data dissemination platform that rewards patience more than intuition make it easy to find the
python
If your data work currently lives entirely in Excel, learning Python can feel like an unnecessary detour. Excel handles pivot tables, formulas, and charts perfectly well — so why learn an entirely new tool? The honest answer is that Excel and Python are not competitors. They solve different problems. Excel is
public works
Public works is one of the most visible and consequential functions in local government. Roads, water infrastructure, parks, street lighting, waste collection, and emergency response to broken mains — these services touch every resident every day. When they work well, nobody notices. When they fail, the phone calls start immediately. That
utility billing
Utility billing complaints are one of the most consistent sources of resident dissatisfaction in local government. Every billing cycle brings a predictable wave of calls — disputed charges, requests for adjustments, questions about disconnection notices, and inquiries about city errors on accounts. For most utility departments, these complaints feel like an