Personal computers, inexpensive local area networks, and decreasing connection costs are bringing smaller and smaller organizations into the Internet. Planned upgrades to telephone and cable networks hold the promise of bringing seamless data service to every desktop with a personal computer and, within a few years, to every cable-equipped television set. Along with the rest of the workday world, municipal government has adopted computers for routine tasks. Even the smallest town now has at least a few personal computers sitting on desktops, and many town offices have at least rudimentary local area networks. Several states and municipalities have begun to disseminate job listings and RFPs via the Internet.
Municipal agencies can reduce costs by sharing.
Networks offer opportunities for increased coordination between agencies. This can improve service to residents while reducing demands on staff time. In Massachusetts, the city of Cambridge has begun to provide municipal documents via the Internet. The city of Boston has begun to offer information through its own computer bulletin board. Both cities have more ambitious plans for the future.