Exploring the Equity of Government Response in Coproduction in Chicago: Before, During, and After COVID-19

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate whether government provides public services to different locations equally. I use response time as a metric to assess the performance of government in each location associated with the demographic attributes. Data from the Chicago Data Portal and the American Community Survey (ACS) are collected for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021. My analysis reveals departmental and technological heterogeneity in the changes in government performance regarding public service delivery depending on the location of the service requests during the study period. My findings indicate that areas with a higher number of educated individuals receives a quicker government response overall during the study period. Furthermore, certain departments exhibit a particularly discriminatory response towards disadvantaged groups only during the pandemic, thereby highlighting the potential for inequitable distribution of government resources under times of stress. Additionally, requests submitted through technology-based channels are prioritized for disadvantaged groups as compared to traditional channels, suggesting the potential of technology to aid the government in achieving more equitable outcomes