I recently spoke with Thomas Wright, executive director of the Regional Plan Association, about regional planning, growth management and budgeting for new technology.

Wright said many cities/regions are currently working on urban systems, which means updating urban systems with more effective and efficient technology. Yet, this is a challenge for the city budgets.

"It is a long-term savings for the public sector yet budgets need to be balanced, and there is very little flexibility and freedom to make this technology transition," Wright said.

Wright compared this technology transition to the 1920s where state and local governments financed and built highways and road infrastructure.  Each one had to be built to finance the next one.  It took financial innovation and public and private sectors working together, he said.

The challenge becomes making the investments for this transition, which is something non-government organizations like the RPA are trying to help with.  According to Wright, non-government organizations play a role between civic and the private sector by helping them work together to solve problems.

He said, currently, the cities look for demonstration of new technology implementation, like the Houston energy initiative to set up car charging stations across the city. (Read the interview "Sustainable Transport Plan in Houston Could be Blueprint for More Cities".)

They also look for new ways to finance projects with gap financing and bridge financing through initiatives like the HUD Sustainable Communities grants. This is new innovative approach for the private sector.

How is your city bridging budget gaps to implement new technologies?

Read Thomas Wright's Biography