Some, like Massachusetts have chosen to make modest investments that will reap golden dividends for cash-strapped cities and towns. Let's hope other states see the same potential rewards that Massachusetts is betting on with this new form of high-tech aid for communities. Meanwhile, the pressure keeps mounting. Citizens are demanding the same kind of sophisticated electronic services from their governments they are finding at Amazon, eBay and thousands of other dot-com Web sites. Many communities, mostly small and rural, can't afford the kind of high-speed access that makes the Internet a practical medium for online public service.
Electronic government is no longer a matter of if, but when.
High-speed Internet service isn't a priority, yet most of us agree it's essential in today's society. A helping hand from other state governments, such as the one Massachusetts has extended to its 351 towns and cities, would be extremely welcome. Inc. All Rights Reserved.