Green For Mayor Press Release - 311

Enter your e-mail address and click GO Go!

Take a minute and tell a friend about Mark.

Members of the Press: click here for quick and easy access to Green campaign press releases and key speeches.

Press Room -- Releases Joined by 12 Former Commissioners, Green Proposes New Service Line Called “311” to Relieve Pressure on 911 07/05/01 -- Public Advocate Mark Green today joined former Commissioners from the Wagner, Lindsay, Beame, Koch, Dinkins and Giuliani administrations to propose a “311 System” to divert non-emergency calls from the overloaded “911” and to direct New Yorkers to the proper City departments for assistance. Fifteen cities nation-wide have already adopted 311, which the Clinton Administration secured from the Federal Communications Commission for non-emergency calls and to respond to the problems facing the 911 emergency number. After thirty-years of use, 911 is so well known that half of the calls to it are non-emergency, straining local governments’ capacity to respond to high-priority problems. In New York City, the 911 System receives over 10 million calls each year. “911 is a success story that should not turn into a failure because of overuse,” Public Advocate Mark Green said. “We currently have the technology to ensure that 911 remains the emergency hotline it was intended as and that 311 becomes the equivalent for other government services. In addition, much as CompStat tracks crime statistics and helps the Police Department manage the deployment of its resources, 311 can provide City managers with up-to-the minute information on chronic trouble spots and help to measure the responsiveness and productivity of City agencies.” New York City currently has at least 39 hotlines for residents to call to find help from City government. In addition, there are over 350 phone numbers to dial for city services, include 13 victim numbers, 76 additional police numbers for non-emergency use, 5 numbers for nonmedical emergencies and 272 numbers listed on the "Easy Reference" page of the City's listings in the phone book. The Public Advocate’s 1997 and 1999 surveys of agency hotlines found that only about one third of all agencies managed to answer calls within the required three minutes. The Advocate’s 1999 report, Municipal Services On-Line, also showed that New York City lagged other cities in the use of the Internet to provide government services. Implementation of a 311 system opens a wide range of possibilities for the use of technology in mapping and managing the need for City services and the allocation of City resources. “CompStat is an invaluable tool in fighting crimes,” Former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said. “It provides precinct commanders with up-to-date information on high risk crime locations and consequently allows them to better utilize the resources available. 311 can be an equally valuable tool, providing New Yorkers with easy access to information about government services, a way to report hazards such as pot holes and broken street lights, and give managers an effective tool for tracking the productivity of City agencies and employees.” Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, the former Commissioner of the Department of Employment, among other

agencies, said “311 will put New Yorkers in touch with the government that serves them. It will allow them to more effectively be the eyes and ears of City agencies. It will also help New York City as an employer, providing New Yorkers interested in public service up-to-date information on available jobs and companies that work with the City information on contracts and services needed. It’s a smart idea that will improve our safety and overall quality of life.” Marilyn Gelber, former Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner, explained how 311 would help DEP respond to a variety of complaints ranging from open fire hydrants to noise pollution and street leaks. “311 is really a link between government, communities and households throughout the City,” Ms. Gelber said. “Not only will it help individual New Yorkers report problems and find solutions, it will help managers in every City agency identify trends and move to correct them swiftly.” According to Jack Krauskopf, former Human Resources Administration Commissioner, “Many of the people who depend on the Human Resources Administration confront basic and emergency needs for their livelihood, including food, housing and healthcare. If you are a single mother in need of shelter or parent in search of childcare in order to work, you should be able to find out quickly and accurately where to turn for help. 311 can enhance services for these people as well as help the government employees who are dedicated to assisting them.” Chris Lynn, the former Transportation Commissioner, said, “The Transportation Department interacts with every New Yorker every day. 311 will allow that Department and others to reach out to New Yorkers and get them involved in reporting on the quality of City services. 311 will cut through the bureaucracy for New Yorkers and make the entire City more efficient.” Douglas White, the former head of the City Department of Personnel and the State Human Rights Commission, concluded, “Especially when it comes to human rights issues, we need to encourage people to report bias incidents and any form of discrimination. 311 will not only encourage people to report these violations, it will help the various agencies that deal with them to better coordinate their responses.” In addition to the Commissioners quoted above, six others have joined Green to support implementing a 311 system in New York City. A list of all Commissioners and their letter of support is below. Results for 311 have been impressive in other cities. In Baltimore, the first City to introduce 311 in 1996, the volume on 911 was reduced by 20%, its average answer time by 60% and busy signals by 68%. Reports indicate that because of the reduced burden of responding to 911 calls, officers had as much as ninety minutes to two and a half hours per shift of additional time to focus on community policing. Dallas was the first major city to try an all-purpose 311 system. The response was so great that the City was able to forgo any advertising of the new number. Other cities with 311 include: Austin, Chicago, Rochester, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. The projected cost for implementing a 311 system in New York City is a one-time investment of nine to ten million dollars. It’s anticipated, based on costs in other cities, that there will be an annual operating cost of approximately $625,000 to maintain and run the system. ------------------------------NEW YORK CITY COMMISSIONERS FOR 311 We are writing to express our support for your proposal to implement a “311 System” in New York City. This is just the kind of forward-looking innovation that New York City government needs to improve customer service and free up important resources for emergency response. 311 systems are being successfully implemented around the country, and the prospect of bringing this innovation to New York City is exciting.

From our experiences as managers in City government, it’s clear that New York City needs a constant focus on management, productivity and customer service. By using the latest technology, 311 can provide agency leaders and the Mayor’s office with important information on customer service needs and problems as they allocate resources to meet the public’s needs. Thank you for seeking our advice on this proposal. Jo Ivey Boufford, M.D.; Health and Hospitals Corporation (1985-1989) Bill Bratton; Police Department (1994-1996) Marilyn Gelber; Department of Environmental Protection (1994-1996) Elinor Guggenheimer; City Planning Commission (1960-1968), Department of Consumer Affairs (1974-1978) Jack Krauskopf; Human Resources Administration (1981-1984) Christopher Lynn; Taxi and Limousine Commission (1995-1996), Department of Transportation (1996-1997) Joan Malin; Department of Homeless Services (1994-1996) Patrick Murphy; Police Department (1970-1973) Lilliam Barrios-Paoli; Department of Employment (1987-89), Department of Personnel (19941996), Department of Housing Preservation and Development (1996-1997), Department of Human Resources Administration (1997-1998) Lou Riccio; Department of Transportation (1990-1993) Ellen Schall; Department of Juvenile Justice (1983-1990) Douglas White; Department of Personnel (1990-1992) The 411 on Return to Press Room

Paid for by Friends of Green 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 335 New York, New York 10170 646-452-1660 (phone) 646-452-1664 (fax)