One standard to judge the success of any government by is its ability to deliver basic goods and services in an effective and cost efficient manner. Using this standard, most governments fall far short in the public's estimation when faced with an avalanche of paperwork to wade through, long lines to stand in and the typically slow process accompanying a methodical bureaucratic infrastructure for the purpose of getting a fishing license.
But thanks to a partnership between UB and the town of Amherst, the frustration born out of a trip to the notoriously bureaucratic Department of Motor Vehicles may someday be a thing of the past.
Straining under the town's "sheer size," according to its director of computer services, Jerry Galkiewicz, Amherst needed a way to reform the manner in which they deliver their basic services to residents - everything from making recreational reservations to dog licenses to acquiring town supplies. In rode the university's department of computer science and engineering. Supervised by UB professors, MBA students developed a number of e-commerce and e-government "software solutions" to help the town out of its bureaucratic bind. Undergraduate students enrolled in the computer science and engineering department's "E-Commerce Technology" course last semester streamlined some services like the aforementioned dog licenses and reservations, making them available on the town's Web site.
Far more ambitious is their plan to place the town's contract bidding process online. Restricted to just one hour, this Web-based procurement process offers to streamline a chore that, in pre-Internet days, could take weeks or months to finish. Firms both large and small can compete equally in the anonymous bidding forum, helping to ensure a fair and equitable chance for all. The idea has not been implemented yet, however, due to a lack of earmarked funds from the state.
In this instance, Amherst's needs dovetailed nicely with UB's. To the university's advantage, this takes students out of the abstract of the classroom and gives them practical, real-world problems to solve. This not only enhances their academic experience by allowing them a greater understanding of their craft, but also gives them valuable r?(c)sum?(c) fodder to attract potential employers. The university can point to this partnership with Amherst to prospective students tempted to come to UB as an opportunity to apply their knowledge while in school, before wading into the tempestuous job market.
Amherst wins big, too. When all is said and done, Amherst will be the first municipality in Western New York - and one of the few across the nation - to offer essential services online. It is far cheaper to pay for a handful of webmasters to maintain one site opposed to a bevy of workers to do the same, often less efficiently. Lower services costs will result in a lower tax burden for Amherst residents, giving them more disposable income to spend and boost the local economy. Amherst, assuming that the program will be greatly expanded upon, will possess a fluid infrastructure for providing services not dependent upon size or physical location.
Though this technology is not funded by the state, Albany has set up a task force to examine its applications. Innovative lawmakers would serve taxpayers well by expanding online services at the state level. Imagine a world where the DMV exists only inside your computer, the long waits in line a thing of the past. Or the possibility of permits filed from home on your computer screen instead of reams of paper in an office somewhere. The state would save money and citizens would save time, energy and frustration.
Potentially, this would lead to a greater appreciation of government. Or a little more, anyway.
