As more of our citizens become involved in decision-making within their communities, it is our responsibility in the public sector to ensure that they have access to the best information available. I know that for many organizations, particularly at the local government level, GIS is a very expensive proposition. Public access to data and information falls by the way in favor of selling data to recover costs. I would encourage you to rethink this approach. We have seen over and over again the value of providing data to members of the public, other agencies and other organizations in ways that they can ask questions and conduct their own analyses.
Ignorance can be a powerful bias.
Informed citizens will help shoulder the decision-making responsibility about land use, resource protection, and growth management issues. Within our Federal government we have a policy that mandates public access to information. The Office of Management and Budget provides guidance specifying that all data and information collected with federal funds will be accessible at no more than the cost of dissemination, unless specific laws prohibit this. Many Federal agencies are now providing information free for the taking on the Internet and many package data on CD's at minimal cost to the public. These data are made widely accessible to other agencies, libraries and schools, and private companies that may redistribute the information.