More Cities Using Digital Technology To Advance Constituent Services.

Cities are increasing their use of web-based and internet services to enhance citizen involvement and increase response times for a variety of constituent services, according to a new survey released today by the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Center for Digital Government.

The survey of 183 city mayors, managers and chief information officers found that the growing use of information technology is chiefly focused on “service-oriented, business-driven and cost-effective” outcomes. City leaders, however, are facing increasing challenges to expand and maintain the use of information technology due to escalating budget pressures.

“Results of the survey provide new evidence that advancements have been made in the campaign for digital government,” said Paul W. Taylor, Ph.D., chief strategy officer at the Center. “When government web sites first emerged in the mid-1990s, it was largely about staking a claim in the digital world, gaining press attention and bragging rights for being the first to ‘dot-com’ a particular public service. Digital government is now about doing the real work of governing – and its attendant heavy lifting – and doing it smarter and cheaper.”

“NLC is pleased to see that cities of all sizes in all parts of the country are improving the way government works by becoming digital,” said Donald J. Borut, executive director of NLC. “The Digital Cities Survey shows how widespread the effort is and how far we’ve come. The progress is all the more impressive given that it came during a really difficult fiscal crisis for cities.”

Building permits and procurement lead the list of services provided by cities and towns. Seventy-five percent use electronic forms to speed their building processes, often as part of a larger strategy to promote continued and sustainable growth and economic development. Seventy-seven percent publish requests for bids online; almost half provide a variety of e-forms for tax, licensing, animal services and parks reservations.

More cities are now offering their citizen’s online payment options for services; 40 percent offering utility bill payment, 35 percent for parks and recreations services, and 36 percent for paying parking tickets and traffic citations. Cities are also using their web sites to fill vacant jobs. Almost half of cities (44 percent) now accept job applications online.

Overall, three out of four cities surveyed not only had a web site, they also had a web portal with links to all agencies and departments that can be accessed by the public for online services and transactions. More than three-quarters indicate they provide emergency preparedness information through their Web sites. In addition, 95 percent used some combination of webcasts (video and audio streaming on the Internet), television (public cable access) and the online posting of agendas and minutes to promote increased public awareness of city government activities.

In three of four cities, police departments have the capability through information technology to retrieve information on license plates and driver licenses, and have access to federal and state criminal databases.

Fiscal issues are the greatest challenge facing local governments in their effort to maintain and build their infrastructure and expertise in the digital world. The need to reinvigorate strategic information technology planning, structure budgets to include technology as a critical partner, and balance competing priorities are major obstacles to continued growth.

“Even small cities can deliver huge value by being creative, partnering with others, and focusing on customer needs,” said Redmond, Wash., Mayor Rosemarie Ives.

“It is our citizens who are the winners every day through excellent online services, effective customer-focused activities, and an efficient technology-enhanced government,” said Virginia Beach, Va. Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf.

To view report CLICK below (Adobe Acrobat Reader required):

http://www.nlc.org/content/Files/04digitalcities.pdf