Mark Wheeler, director of innovation for the City of Philadelphia, announced an initiative to bring blockchain technology to the city council on Monday. As part of the project, people working in blockchain and smart contracts were asked to contact the employees working on the project to find out how cryptographic technologies can be useful in municipal authorities. Wheeler tweeted that he was inspired by Miami’s efforts to create a front-end blockchain in which Mayor Francis Suarez promoted the city’s cryptocurrency tokens as a potential tax option and preferred to receive his next salary in bitcoin.
The city’s website has a basic information section on cryptocurrencies that includes Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin White Paper, Fatalik Buterin’s Ethereum Paper, a 21-minute introductory video from Andreessen Horowitz, and a link to the Web3 Foundation website. There is no set schedule for how long the exploratory phase of the maneuver will last. Wheeler said: “I’m trying to get a really good idea of the use cases, why it might be a value proposition, and that’s what the whole site is about. We’re ready to talk.” In an interview with StateScoop.
The City of Brotherly Love is just the last municipal government to enter the crypto space. Monday’s launch follows the election of New York City Mayor Eric Adam, who announced that he hopes programming skills will be taught in public schools. Following Suarez’s leadership, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor also plans to accept her next bitcoin salary. Meanwhile, Jackson, Tennessee, announced that it is investigating the introduction of cryptocurrencies in April.
