Context
In Alicante there are two million urban units and more than 400 000 rural plots to manage – a provincial habitat of two million inhabitants with the added complexity of covering an extensive urbanised coastline. There is a dynamic real estate market that generates thousands of changes of ownership each year, affecting in many cases a foreign population that is unfamiliar with local laws, regulations and procedures.
In addition, there are different administrations operating in the same territory with objectives that are not always aligned. This means that information is rarely shared, different technological solutions are incompatible, and innovations are scarce, poorly funded and of low impact. As a result, local authorities lose efficiency and opportunities to provide services to citizens, as well as reducing their economic sustainability.
Objectives
The primary goal is to identify and tax properties that are currently evading local taxes, thereby increasing municipal revenue. This involves overcoming obstacles related to information sharing, as often the necessary data already exists but is scattered across different administrative bodies. To address this, several key steps are proposed. First, is to enhance data management efficiency and quality by utilising geographic information systems (GIS: a computer system for capturing, storing, checking and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface), machine learning and deep learning technologies. Second, to establish agreements with relevant organisations that commit all parties to a comprehensive data strategy. This includes continuous training in the use of digital technologies. Third, to foster a culture of excellence in local administrations. This involves advancing the geolocation of territorial data, digitising this data and disseminating it on digital platforms for large-scale data management and intelligent operations. Automation is a crucial step in this process, as it can free public employees from tasks that add little value.
Implementation
In the implementation of this project, decisions are made on the basis of data. To this end, the GIS is used to locate untaxed properties in municipalities that lack the necessary information. The development of planning involves coordinating the collection and exchange of information between local, provincial, regional, state and corporate authorities. In addition, two technicians from the Geographic Information Maintenance Unit were assigned to this project.