The laptops would be able to send and receive large, complex documents such as the city budget or large weekly packets of information. The move would bring the city further into the electronic information age. Transferring information via computer would save money on the cost of paper, so the machines would be an investment in the long run. Moreover, computers allow instant access and communication. One of the ongoing issues among council members and city officials has been establishing and maintaining an efficient, responsive system of communication.
Laptop computers can provide the tools for such a system.
For those council members who still like to have a piece of paper in their hands, obviously documents can be printed in part or in their entirety. While this would impact paper savings cost, it does give council members some flexibility. While we support the notion of laptops, our endorsement comes with two cautions. The technology will only be useful to the extent that council members take advantage of its power and flexibility. Purchasing expensive computers to gather dust is not good use of taxpayers' money.