April 2005 · Volume 87 · Number 3

Fast Facts

Benefits of E-Government

  • Nearly 70 percent of local governments report improved communication with the public as a result of their e-government initiatives.
  • 56 percent cite improved customer service.
  • More than 99 percent of local governments have Internet connectivity.
  • All reporting jurisdictions with a population of 250,000 or more have a Web site.
  • Close to 60 percent provide downloadable forms, online communication with elected and appointed officials, employment information and applications, and codes and ordinances on the local government Web site; nearly 76 percent post council agendas and minutes.
  • Fewer than 30 percent of respondents accept online requests for local government records or services (such as pothole repairs), provide GIS/mapping data, or send electronic newsletters to residents and businesses, but 50 percent to 62 percent of these respondents plan to provide these services in the future.
  • The most frequently cited barriers to e-government initiatives are lack of financial resources (64 percent) and lack of technology/Web staff (63 percent).

Statistics taken from ICMA's 2004 E-Government Survey. Aggregate results are available on ICMA's Web site. Complete survey results, downloadable for analysis, are available at http://bookstore.icma.org (select "E-Documents" from the lefthand menu).

 

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