The following column ran in the Pendleton East Oregonian newspaper on March 28, 2000. It is reprinted with permission from the author.
Technology is changing the face of government
by Phil Keisling
Twenty years ago computers, fax machines, cellular phones and the Internet were either quaint curiosities or technological pipe dreams. Today these and other innovations are transforming workplaces and homes around the world.
In a recent Atlantic Monthly article the renowned management consultant Peter Drucker likens our situation to the dawn of the railroad era in pre-civil war America. The application of steam power to transportation made the movement of goods and people exponentially faster and cheaper-and unleashed remarkable political, social and economic changes for decades to come.
What implications and opportunities do today's innovations hold for the many ways that government interacts with citizens?
Across the country innovative leaders are exploring the possibilities.
In Arizona citizens can now register their cars from the comfort of their own homes. IBM developed Arizona's online vehicle registration program, which operates on IBM's servers in exchange for $1 per transaction and 2% of revenues.
Los Angeles County expects to move up to 80% of its $650 million in annual purchases to the Internet during 2000. The county expects the move to reduce the need for storage space and save $29 million over five years, while generating an additional $9.5 million from warehouse property sales.
Colorado officials are exploring the option of allowing lawsuits to be filed electronically. In Boston you can pay for dog licenses and parking tickets on line. And Clark County, Nevada, home of Las Vegas and the marriage capitol of the West, recently began selling copies of marriage licenses over the Web.
Within five years New York City officials hope to offer a full range of Internet options, from paying taxes and submitting construction plans to bidding on municipal contracts.
Last fall former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith challenged his staff to come up with two ideas for electronic services each week. The city's residents enjoy a variety of online services through their web site, www.indygov.org, including opportunities to pay parking tickets and apply for electrical permits without traipsing down to City Hall. The site even allows citizens to access and rework the city budget-and submit their recommendations to the mayor.
Oregon is on the band(width)wagon as well.
Ashland, Medford, Grants Pass, Jackson County and Josephine County are currently working to bring online government services to Southern Oregon.
Last spring two officials of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services had an inspiration. Why couldn't the popular online auction site Ebay be used to help dispose of surplus government property? Oregon seems to be a true pioneer in this category; potential bidders from around the world daily take advantage of this simple idea and Oregonians are benefiting from increased revenue.
During my term as Secretary of State our Corporations Division laid the groundwork to allow Oregon's more than 100,000 business entities to register their corporate names on-line-eliminating the need to process paper forms and cash checks. This service is expected to be operational before the end of 2000.
In what other ways can Oregon improve public services and decrease costs through the use of information technology? The 2000 Oregon Better Government Competition seeks to answer that question.
Organized by Cascade Policy Institute, the Competition invites ideas on how to improve state or local government. This year's theme is "Technology, Innovation and Competition: 21st Century Solutions for Oregon." All ideas-technology related or otherwise-are welcome, and anyone can participate. I encourage Oregonians and others to enter this Competition.
State and local governments across the country are showing their ingenuity by infusing technological innovation into public services. With our strong high-tech presence and our commitment to progress, Oregon can be a leader in these revolutionary advances.