A few weeks ago, The Economist
had
a piece about how municipalities often lag behind the private sector in the use
of the Internet.
Obviously, the businesses use the Web in order to compete and the race for
more cash enhances the quality of the sites.
Take for instance bank sites. Internet banking is now de rigueur for most financial
institutions -- it's something customers expect, as they very well might put
their money elsewhere.
Cities, on the other hand, often view their Web sites as purely a space for
information -- how to contact the first selectman, dog catcher, etc.
But municipal Web sites are often unimaginative, hard to navigate and
have outdated information.
Revamped a few years ago, New
London's Web site is a marked improvement over the old
one, but it is hard to find information.
For instance, if you search "taxes," surely a popular topic in the
city, you are given a link to the Tax Division, with information on New London's mill
rate...from 2002.
Now, people may say that forever cash strapped NL has bigger fish to fry
than the Whaling City's Web site.
But the city is in dire need of investment in its downtown. An attractive,
easy to use Web site might fit the bill.
Plus the Economist article has some interesting things to say about the
future of "e-government."