Google wants local governments opening up more data to improve your local search

Google already uses a handful of municipal government data to provide services like mass transit navigation, but it now wants a bigger helping. The search firm's Americas President, Margo Georgiadis, tells those at Chicago's Metropolitian Planning Council that cities should open up their data as a matter of course. Google could significantly improve its personal assistant features if it had access to data for local events, jobs, neighborhoods and schools, according to the executive. We wouldn't count on urban leaders taking the company's advice, though. While cities like New York City and Paris publish their data, there are many others that still keep their information locked up -- it could be a long while before Google gets the openness it desires.