IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

With a little more than two years left before the administration ends, Karen Evans knows what she has to do.

The Office of Management and Budget’s administrator for e-government and IT is out to shut down systems that duplicate the 25 e-government and nine Lines of Business initiatives, and achieve cost savings and efficiency.

New administrator already working toward compiling information

When Gregory Jackson was researching online about Woodford County, he was startled by what he did not find.

"Basically, when I applied for the county administrator's position, I did a search and found out that Woodford County didn't have a Web site yet," he said.

Woodford-county.org will appear on Web browsers starting in May

n an era when many local governments already have moved into the dot-com era, Woodford County finally appears ready for a domain name of its own.

By May, the county will have a fully functional Web site at www.woodford-county.org, with online meeting agendas, data on county offices and other up-to-date information.

Don't know which governmental agency can answer your question? Need to find specific information about Colorado state government services? Colorado's official state Web site (www.Colorado.gov) is providing enhanced access to state government by launching a new search engine to help users carry out more effective searches.

More than 2.5 million visitors per month to Colorado.gov are now able to search the state's Web site with Google's leading search engine technology. Google will enable users to find more accurate search results, typically in less than a second.

The National Policy Research Council, in collaboration with Computerworld magazine, recently rated Idaho’s official Web site (www.idaho.gov) as the second best state Web site in the country.

The National Policy Research Council, a Washington-based nonprofit think tank, assessed each state Web site based on 25 features in seven categories: usability, citizen responsiveness, accessibility for disabled visitors, information tools, online procurement, job opportunities, and the availability and functionality of interactive permits and payments.

The Government Solutions Center recently announced that the Kansas Highway Patrol's Online Crash Logs system is a Pioneer Award recipient. The Online Crash Logs service, which is available to the public through the state's official Web site at www.Kansas.gov, streamlines the Kansas Highway Patrol's process of recording and distributing crash information by reducing the amount of paperwork dispatchers must complete.

As the April 15 tax deadline approaches, Kansans have a quick and easy way to file their state taxes online through www.Kansas.gov, the state's official Web site. The Kansas Department of Revenue's WebFile service is available to all Kansas taxpayers. WebFile does not require any complicated downloads and offers a built-in automatic calculator to help reduce filing errors.

The official Web site of the state of Maine (www.Maine.gov) has again been named one of the best state government sites in the nation. Maine.gov was ranked second in the 2006 Center for Digital Government Best of the Web national competition for government Web site excellence. Since the Best of the Web competition began in 1996, Maine has received six top-three placements, making Maine.gov the most consistently honored Web portal in the country.

As part of the 2006 Best of the Web competition, Maine.gov also earned a Digital Government Achievement Award in recognition of the state’s online suite of services for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). This suite includes vehicle registration renewals, license renewals, driving record searches, and vanity license plate orders. With this suite of services, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles has found a way to make services more accessible for the citizens of the state of Maine while also saving them time and money in the process.

Last-minute filers can rest a little easier this year, thanks to an expanded online tax filing system accessible via the state's official Web site at www.Nebraska.gov. Offered by the Nebraska Department of Revenue in conjunction with Nebraska.gov, the expanded electronic filing system allows Nebraskans to file their 1040N or 1040NS forms via the Internet. Filing taxes electronically saves time for taxpayers and delivers refunds more quickly.

Registering a new business in the state of Tennessee just got easier, thanks to an innovative online service now available through the state's official Web site at www.Tennessee.gov. The Tennessee One-Stop Business Resource allows new businesses to complete all required paperwork electronically with state agencies through a single Web site.

Tennessee's One-Stop Business Resource combines Governor Phil Bredesen's focus on technology innovation with enhanced customer service features that will reduce time and costs and allow agencies to more effectively share information.

Several Virginia Online Services Singled out for eGovernment Excellence

Virginia's official Web portal continues to be one of the most acclaimed state sites in the nation. Virginia.gov (www.Virginia.gov) was ranked the fifth best state Web site in the in the 2005 Best of the Web national competition for eGovernment achievement. This is the fifth year in which Virginia's official Web site has been a Best of the Web top five finalist.

Businesses seeking information and services from the Commonwealth of Virginia now have a new centralized starting point. The new online portal (www.business.virginia.gov) is available through the state's official Web site and consolidates information about Virginia's various business assistance and support services such as grants, loans, workforce training, and licensing in one online location.

"This portal employs user-friendly technology to provide a single gateway to the many services Virginia offers businesses throughout state government," said Governor Mark R. Warner. "This new site provides immediate access to information and further enhances Virginia's business-friendly environment."