Overview

October 27

What does technology really cost? It can be a tricky question. For state and local government agencies expanding their tech infrastructure and investing in new innovations, understanding the true long-term expenses of technology investments is crucial.

And conveying that information to lawmakers and budget decision-makers can be especially challenging – particularly when more and more projects are shifting away from traditional capital outlays to ongoing software-as-a-service models.

In this virtual conversation, part of our ongoing Funding Gov Tech program in partnership with the Center for Municipal Finance at the University of Chicago, our panelists will focus on understanding the true cost of different forms of technology and service delivery, helping agencies to better anticipate the long-term cost of their technology investments.

Speakers

Michael Leahy

Chief Information Officer, State of Maryland

CIO for the State of Maryland responsible for information technology, data processing, telecommunications, and systems procurement, planning, and management for the Executive Branch of State government.

Travis Cutright

Chief Information Officer, City of Mesa, Arizona

Travis L. Cutright is a service oriented executive, with expertise in establishing and driving strategic direction, enhancing organizational value, and steering continuous improvement. Over the past 25 years, he has served in executive roles in the capacity of Chief Information Officer, Director of Information Technology, as well as Vice President and Regional Business Manager in both the private and public sectors. He possesses a Masters degree in Public Management from Northern Arizona University as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He also has an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is an active member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA)

Justin Marlowe — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government, Professor and Associate Director of the University of Chicago's Center for Municipal Finance

Justin Marlowe is a research professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. His research and teaching are focused on public finance, and he has published five books — including the first open-access textbook on public financial management — and more than 100 articles on public capital markets, infrastructure finance, financial disclosure, public financial technology, and public-private partnerships. He is an admitted expert witness in federal and state courts, and has served on technical advisory bodies for the state of Washington, the California State Auditor, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, the National Academy of Sciences, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and many other public, private and nonprofit organizations. Prior to academia, he worked in local government in Michigan. He is a Certified Government Financial Manager and an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, and he holds a Ph.D. in political science and public administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Webinar

Funding Gov Tech: Understanding Total Cost of Ownership