Iowa's award-winning county government portal continues to generate national acclaim. Last month, the official Web site for the Iowa State County Treasurers Association was singled out in the 2003 Best of the Web competition for eGovernment excellence. The portal's property tax payment service, which is available at www.iowatreasurers.org, was ranked the best county government online application in the country. The 2003 Best of the Web competition was conducted by the Center for Digital Government, an international research and advisory institute on the use of information technology in government. Now in its eighth year, Best of the Web evaluates government Web sites based on their innovation, Web-based delivery of public services, efficiency, economy, and functionality.
Introduced in September 2002, Iowa's online property tax system was the first interactive government service offered to Iowa citizens in all 99 counties via the Internet. Iowa's property tax solution allows taxpayers to pay their property taxes with major credit cards and e-Checks, and all payments are processed through a secure payment server. During the second half property tax collection period that ended on September 30, the Iowa State County Treasurers Association collected more than $130 million in electronic payments through its portal.
"We're proud that our portal has been recognized by Best of the Web," said Michael Grandon, President of the Iowa State County Treasurers Association and Cerro Gordo County Treasurer. "Our first-of-its-kind solution is being used by Iowa citizens in all 99 counties and now serves as the model for what county treasurers in other states are trying to build."
Believed to be one of the nation's largest intergovernmental technology collaboration projects, the Iowa State County Treasurers Association developed its Web site and tax payment service through a partnership between the state of Iowa's Department of Administrative Services Information Technology Enterprise and Iowa Interactive, Inc., a Des Moines-based subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV) that manages the state of Iowa's official Web site (www.iowa.gov).
"Government services continue to be more robust and easier to navigate," said Cathilea Robinett, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. "The Iowa State County Treasurers Association has built a unique portal that reflects its commitment to serving Iowa's citizens."
The Iowa State County Treasurers Association portal continues to be one of the most acclaimed county-level eGovernment solutions. The portal has won numerous awards this year, including an E-Gov Pioneer Award, a 2003 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo), an Iowa State Association of Counties Innovation Award, and an Internet Initiative of the Year Award from the Software and Information Technology of Iowa Association.
Representatives from the Center for Digital Government, Government Technology magazine, State Technology, Inc., and state and local government officials from Virginia and Tampa, Florida, were on the judging panel for the 2003 Best of the Web contest.
"We're honored to be part of such a great team," said Tim Erickson, general manager of Iowa Interactive. "We commend the Iowa State County Treasurers Association for their commitment to using technology to enhance constituent services throughout the state."
About Iowa Interactive
Des Moines-based Iowa Interactive is a subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC that manages the Iowa State County Treasurers Association portal (www.iowatreasurers.org) on behalf of its members. Iowa Interactive also built, operates, and maintains the official Web site for the state of Iowa (www.iowa.gov) in collaboration with the State of Iowa's Department of Administrative Services Information Technology Enterprise (ITE).
Quelle: Businesswire, 11.11.2003
