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Bloomberg by the Numbers: Keeping the mayor accountable

Friday, April 01, 2011 - 01:41 PM

Mayor Michael Bloomberg delivering his 10th state of the city address in Staten Island Mayor Michael Bloomberg delivering his 10th state of the city address in Staten Island (Richard Yeh/WNYC)

WNYC Radio is putting together a series called "Bloomberg by the Numbers," which will focus on different New York City services Mayor Michael Bloomberg has invested in. We're relying on the Public Insight Network sources to provide anecdotal evidence of how successful these services are.

Bloomberg has been in office for the last ten years. His vision from the beginning revolved around the idea that technology can solve the lack of services in the city and make existing ones more efficient. Below are the four areas "Bloomberg by the Numbers" looks at and to which you can contribute with your insights.

911 Call System

Perhaps one of the most urgent things Bloomberg worked on is the 911 emergency call system. After the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center, we learned the system could not handle a large influx of calls during a major emergency.

Bloomberg then appointed a panel that concluded the system needed a "robust integrated dispatch" for the police, fire and EMS departments - a project that required millions of dollars. Some people say it has been a waste of money. We want to know what you think.

Does the updated 911 emergency call system make you feel secure enough for a future emergency? Or does it still need more streamlining? Tell us about your experience calling 911.

311 Call Response

Bloomberg created a 311 call and online system for reporting non-emergency, problems or situations. Some of the top complaints on 311 are related to noise, heating, vermin, potholes and running fire hydrants.

We would like to track the response to these calls. Did you receive a response and how quickly? Were you directed to a better source or left without a solution? Tell us about whether calling 311 has solved any issues you reported.

Recycling dropping

During Bloomberg's administration, we have discovered that the amount of materials recycled has decreased. As our reporters are investigating why, we would like to know if you have noticed anything.

Have you noticed a difference? Do you think recycling is worth it? Share your personal observations with us.

Student Achievement Tracking

The series began with Beth Fertig's story on the Achievement Reporting Innovation System (ARIS), a computer system that would help public school teachers track their students strengths and weaknesses. The system cost $80 million. To read or listen to Fertig's story, click here: $80 Million School Data System Still Evolving.

However, it is not too late for parents, students and educators to inform WNYC on what's going on in our schools. If you have something to say, go here: What is the biggest school-related challenge you face now?

With your help, we can better evaluate how well the Bloomberg administration has done during this past decade.

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