This headline is probably not new news to many of us actively working with geospatial data and technology, but it is sure good to hear it from an independent and authoritative source. The high cost to produce geospatial data and the perceived value of this data puts it in a unique category where many governments see digital mapping data as an asset to hold tightly, or to charge additional fees to recover their data maintenance costs.

There are many good reasons for GIS data to be open and accessible, but it is encouraging to see what this article shows about the “cost recovery” argument that is commonly used. The author reports that a national parcel layer service provider has identified the following as possible mechanisms contributing to tax base growth in open-records counties:
Improved Real Estate Information Operations
Attraction of Outside Economic Development Dollars
Long-Term Improvement in the Built Environment
Reduced Insurance Premiums
And the bottom line is, when tax revenues were compared between open-records and closed-records counties, the increased property tax revenue in the open-counties was greater, and paid for the maintenance of the digital map without charging cost recovery fees. To download the full article click here:
Does Open Access to Digital Cadastre Stimulate the Economy?