CITY AUDIT LOOKS AT INTERNAL COMPUTER SYSTEM

Calls for greater transparency as more work at home

A new city audit says San Diego must boost the transparency and accountability of its internal computer and technology system so workers can more efficiently deliver services to residents and businesses.

The 89-page audit comes as San Diego has nearly tripled how much it spends on technology, an increase from $42 million in fiscal year 2015 to $123 million in fiscal year 2021.

Technology services, which now make up nearly 8 percent of San Diego’s $1.6 billion annual budget, have become more crucial to city operations during the pandemic.

Many city employees, especially white-collar employees, have been working from home since spring 2020. And in many departments, online meetings have replaced in-person staff meetings.

The audit also comes as San Diego launches a campaign to modernize, automate and centralize its efforts to help city workers efficiently use technology and computers.

City officials say the new campaign is ideal for compliance with the findings of the audit, which recommends San Diego hold itself to a higher standard regarding how technology staff respond to problems and concerns raised by workers.

The City Council is expected to discuss the audit later this winter. The report says there should be a series of new “key performance indicators” to gauge how quickly technology problems are resolved. It also recommends greater transparency for how the city spends money on technology to reduce the risk of overspending or redundancies. The greater transparency could help Mayor Todd Gloria and