Of the 1,858 units of local government in the state -- counties, townships, cities and villages -- only 376 have a Web presence. That works out to about one in five.
And of those 376 sites, which serve about 62 percent of the state's population, the vast majority are what Internet critics call brochure-ware -- public relations content seemingly aimed at boosting the images of the governmental units and the politicians who control them.
Yet there are some Michigan counties that embrace e-government.
Oakland County, for example, is clearly the state's most tech-savvy county, with 68 percent of its local governmental agencies online. Other leaders include Ottawa County, 58 percent; Wayne County, 57 percent, and Washtenaw and Kent counties, both 50 percent.
The Oakland County site, www.co.oakland.mi.us, is "one of the best examples of a local Web site anywhere in the nation," according to Charles Kaylor from the Public Sphere Information Group, the organization based in Newton, Mass., that helped Cyber-state.org evaluate Michigan's local governmental sites.
From filing an assumed name to ordering birth, death and marriage certificates to getting permits for county parks, Oakland's site exemplifies the way interactivity can help local government be more responsive and efficient, says Kaylor, an expert in the growing e-government movement.
"Two years ago, only the very largest cities in the nation had Web sites," he says. "Now, about half of all cities in the 100,000 to 200,000 population range have them, and it's quickly trickling down to even smaller units of government."
Still, only three Michigan communities show up on a list Kaylor's organization compiled that ranks the e-government services of 111 cities around the country -- and all are toward the bottom. Ann Arbor (www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us) is 82nd on the list, Detroit (www.ci.detroit.mi.us) ranks 103rd and Grand Rapids (www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us) is 108th.
But having a Web site and providing citizens what they want is often another matter. The Michigan survey found that what citizens and businesses most want from a governmental Web site is the ability to file complaints, obtain permits, buy dog licenses, pay taxes and do business with local government online instead of standing in line.
"On the whole, that is not yet happening," Kaylor says.
Cyber-state.org says roughly 81 percent of Michigan residents visit a government Web site a month. Users want content, not clutter, as well as transactional services and interactivity, says Katherine Willis, the group's executive director.
As examples of excellent interactive local government Web sites in Michigan, Cyber-state.org points out:
- Ypsilanti Township (www.twp.ypsilanti.mi.us): Among services on the site is an online form to report finding a lost dog.
- Saginaw Township (www.sagtwp.org): Interactive property assessment records are available.
- Cass County (www.casscountymi.org): The animal shelter provides an online adoption service for dogs and cats.
- The City of Muskegon (www.ci.muskegon.mi.us): Users can search for minutes of city council meetings.
- Kinross Township (www.kinross.net): This Upper Peninsula township has snowmobile trail reports.
