Some of the dullest announcements involving government spending often include the words “new” and “data-driven.”
So it would be of no surprise that the recent announcement by Gov. Mike Pence that he’s spending $338,000 on a “data-driven” hub would be greeted by shrugs by most Hoosiers.
As announced, the funds are renovating a suite of offices in the basement of the Statehouse. The offices will house 16 employees, $400 chairs, touch-screen wall monitors of about $10,000 apiece and a $53,600 raised floor.
Can you feel the excitement?
This hub is intended to make data more accessible to policymakers. Oh, wait, there’s the issue.
Elected officials — who often get accused of manipulating statistics and numbers for their political ends — would have quicker access to data, ranging from infant mortality rates to traffic fatalities to drug busts.
Tackling issues as infant mortality is critical in Indiana, which has one of the highest rates in the country. And any effort to improve efficiency in government should get voters’ attention.
Pence also maintained that the remodeling costs — for windowless, basement offices — will be offset by savings for a canceled $215,000 lease at 1 North Capitol as well as part of $500,000 Lilly Endowment grant.
At the same time, Hoosiers need to feel that this hub is one of many tools, not the end-all-debate result, for legislators and policymakers in making crucial decisions.
Perhaps more importantly, this hub of information needs to be accessible by the general public, not only to keep policymaking decisions above-board but to provide wider transparency into the function of government. Non-governmental researchers may develop feasible answer to infant mortality; Indiana students could find trends in traffic accidents.
If the data hub truly has spokes that reach into public accessibility, then it might be worth the cost.