TESTIMONY
Matthew Fraser, Chief Technology Officer, Office of Technology And Innovation (OTI) on OTI's Achievements, Priorities, and Budget for Fiscal Year 2025
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7 min
Matthew Fraser discusses the Office of Technology And Innovation (OTI)'s fiscal year 2025 budget, its recent projects, and future plans.
- Fraser highlights the consolidation of city tech agencies under OTI, following an executive order by Mayor Adams, aiming to enhance city government operations and address the digital divide.
- He showcases OTI's initiatives like Big Apple Connect and Gigabit Innovation Centers to improve internet access, and the development of a municipal AI action plan.
- The My City portal, smart cities test bed program, and efforts in cybersecurity are mentioned as key achievements in leveraging technology for government efficiency and services.
- Fraser details OTI's fiscal year 25 budget, including funding for personnel, projects related to IT modernization, cybersecurity, and emergency communication systems, and efforts to support minority and women-owned businesses.
- The testimony emphasizes OTI's role in using technology to create a more connected, equitable, and safe city while being fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars.
Matthew Fraser
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Oh, fantastic.
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Good afternoon.
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Cher Gutierrez and members of the City Council Committee on Technology.
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My name is Matthew Fraser, and I'm the Chief Technology Officer of New York City.
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With me is Edwin Pemberton, the office of Technology And Innovation deputy commissioner for management and budget and Sean Talosanidis, OTI's deputy commissioner for legal matters.
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You for the opportunity today to speak about OTI's fiscal year 25 preliminary budget, our recent accomplishments and our priorities for the coming year.
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At the beginning of his administration, Mara Adams signed executive order 3 to consolidate the city's tech agencies into one entity.
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The Office of Tech And Innovation Under the Meijer's leadership, OTI convened the city's information technology, cybersecurity, privacy, data and analytics and 301 employees under one roof with a clear vision to make New York City government run better and bridge digital divide.
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As a city's chief technology officer, I'm proud to lead the city wide projects that democratizes access to technology, improves the public interactions with the city government and help our fellow government agencies leverage technology to accomplish their mission.
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This past year, we also doubled down on our commitment to bridge the digital divide by expanding Big Apple Connect, the nation's largest municipal subsidized broadband program.
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Today, we provide access to free Internet and basic TV to over 330,000 New Yorkers across 220 sites in nature.
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Citywide, This program enjoys a nearly 80% subscriber rate.
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In addition to Big Apple Connect, we launched gigabit Innovation Centers in Brooklyn and Staten Island, Now with one in each borough, the gigabit centers enhance access to free Internet, tech devices, and digital skills training for students, older adults, and immigrants in immigrant workers living in historically underserved communities.
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This past fall, we released the nation's first comprehensive municipal artificial intelligence action plan.
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This broad this broad plan provides the city agencies the necessary framework to evaluate AI tools and associated risk.
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Help city government employees build knowledge and skills, and supports the implementation of these tools to benefit New Yorkers.
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Within the 1st year, we expect to start a complete 29 of the plans 37 key items.
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As recently announced, we're moving forward with a moving full steam ahead with a crucial short term foundational milestones.
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Of the AI action plan, including establishing both an interagency steering committee and an external advisory network, unveiling key AI definitions and terms as part of beginning the AI governance policy.
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There's much more to come on this soon, and I'd be happy to continue to share our progress with counsel.
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1 year ago this month, we launched my city portal, a one stop shop for essential services and benefits.
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With a simplified childcare subsidy application that made it easier for working families to check eligibility, apply for, and track benefits online.
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Since my city's launch, over 50,000 accounts have been created and 32 applications had 32,000 applications have been submitted, resulting in more than 16,000 children potentially receiving subsidies that may have otherwise been difficult to attain or miss altogether.
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My city expanded with the redesigned jobs, the jobs NYC website, and the new business site, which features the 1st city wide AI powered chatbot.
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To date.
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The chatbot has fielded approximately 12,000 inquiries in in the cities, almost 12 11 most common languages.
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Our efforts to leverage technology to make government run better also includes the launch of New York City smart cities test bed program in October.
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This program streamlines and accelerates the process of piloting emerging technologies that tackle major challenges, face City governments in New Yorkers.
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The initial test bed projects uses drones to lower greenhouse gas emissions and buildings and air quality improvement monitors to measure real time air quality.
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We plan on announcing 8 new pilots this year.
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Behind the scenes, OTI is also providing space to upscale and reward our city's talented workforce.
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Within the past year, our Cyber Academy program has graduated employees from over 50 agencies bolstering the city's cybersecurity workforce and cultivating a closer collaboration between city agents, a city agencies, and New York City Cyber Command.
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Additionally, for the 2nd year in a row, OTI spearheaded the Hayes Innovation Prize, which celebrates excellence within city governments within the city government workforce.
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Course.
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Last year, 15 employees were rewarded with a $1000 cash prize for using cutting edge technology to improve services across government.
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This year's this year's winners will be announced next week.
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Before I get into the budget numbers, I want to highlight OC OTI Success in promoting minority and women owned businesses.
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In fiscal year 23, OTI processed 315 MWB procurements totaling more than $245,000,000 in contracts.
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We also made the most frequent use of any agency of the MWBE noncompetitive small procurement method, capitalizing on the evolution of citywide policies and initiatives in the recent years to diversify the businesses and the business owners receiving contracts from the city.
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Finally, I'd like to briefly summarize OTI's budget.
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OTI's fiscal year 25 preliminary budget allocates approximately 775,200,000 in expense funds.
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Of this, approximately 161,600,000 are for personnel services to support the 15004 full time impositions.
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And $613,600,000 are for other than personal services.
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The preliminary budget had a net increase of $44,700,000 for fiscal year 24.
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Which is largely attributed to OTPS expense funding for capital related projects.
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Our capital funding for fiscal year 2025 totals 227,900,000 for projects related to IT modernization, cybersecurity, 311, and emergency communication systems great.
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The fiscal year 25 preliminary budget revenue plan is approximately $141,800,000 for fiscal year 25.
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As you're aware, the mayor recently announced that there will not be a peg exercise in the executive budget and is lifting the full hiring freeze.
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Which will allow OTI to continue hiring for the agency's needs.
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We're continuing to take proactive steps to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
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Last fiscal year, OTI launched nearly $6,000,000 in telecommunication savings, initiative to reduce the monthly cellular rates and deactivate inactive wireless devices.
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I thank the counsel for the continued partnership and ongoing efforts to leverage technology to build a more connected, equitable, and safe city for old New Yorkers.
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And I thank you for the opportunity to testify today.