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The Rise of the Crypto Mayors



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For now, most crypto-enthused officials are focused on comparatively modest projects. Mark Wheeler, chief information officer for Philadelphia, became fascinated with crypto in 2018 after hearing about an effort in Cook County, Ill., to list property records on a decentralized database.“Improving the quality of property-data management inside city government is like the white whale that I’ve been trying to catch,” he said.Mr. Wheeler stopped listening to NPR in the morning, tuning into crypto podcasts instead. In November, he invited crypto experts to propose initiatives for Philadelphia; the original Bitcoin white paper is now posted on the city’s website.The fervor has spread to small-town America. Last year, Jalen Nelson, a 26-year-old crypto enthusiast, cold-emailed 2,000 U.S. mayors, hoping to engage them in discussions about blockchain technology. He got one response — fro …

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