Category: E-government

58% of Americans have contacted their government in some way during 2007, according to the Pew Internet Project. Some 42% of those who contacted the government say they visited an agency in person; 29% say they called a government office; 18% say they sent an email to a government office or agency; and 13% say they wrote a letter to the government. Some 27% of those who say they contacted the government in the past year say they contacted their local government; another 27% say they contacted their state government. Slightly fewer – 23% – say they contacted the federal government. And 12% say they reached out to several different levels of government. About 10% of respondents either could not remember or would not say where they approached the government. 60% of white Americans say they have contacted their government in the past year, while 49% of minority adults have done the same. 65% of internet users have contacted the government in 2007, compared with 36% of those who do not use the internet.

Political campaign spending on advertising media and marketing services is expected to rocket to an all-time high of $4.50 bln in the 2008 election cycle, as an acrimonious political environment, record fundraising and the high number of presidential candidates are driving an unprecedented media spending splurge, according to PQ Media. Total political media spend in the 2008 election cycle, including all nine advertising and marketing communications segments used for this purpose, is expected to jump 43.3% compared with the 2006 cycle and is projected to soar 64.1% over the 2004 election.

European traffic to government sites increased 6%, highlighting the move of government information online in Europe. The category was led by Europa.eu with 4.4 mln visitors (up 42%), NIH with 3.9 mln visitors (up 16%), NHS.UK with 3.4 mln visitors (up 3%), and Direct.gov.uk with 2.9 mln visitors (up 23%), comScore says.

A Gallup poll sponsored by Wells Fargo found that 89% of business owners will vote this upcoming election. Among those who have owned their business for 5 or more years, the number of voters rises to 91%. 69% of small-business owners cited energy prices as extremely or very important in their voting decisions. Over 60% also cited healthcare coverage, cutting business taxes, and the general economic conditions, while just over half cited the war on terrorism and the situation in Iraq.

The top federal IT budgets will take a 50% dive in fiscal year 2007, according to Input.

Currently the cost of illegal immigration to the federal government alone is estimated at over $10 bln a year, The Information Network reports. In addition, California citizens pay $10.5 bln a year in the form of higher education costs, higher law enforcement costs, and higher health care costs. Texas citizens pay $4.7 bln, and Arizona citizens pay $1.3 bln. There are 2811 maquiladora (export assembly plants) operating in Mexico employing 1.2 mln people, of which 2065 or about 75% are located in states along the US-Mexico border.

State and local governments will spend $44.24 bln on IT goods and services in 2005. At a growth rate of 7.5%, this figure will rise to $54.96 bln by 2008, Gartner says.

Federal agencies handed out information technology contracts worth $123 bln in 2005, 20% less than in 2004, according to Input.

In 2004, 78 mln tax returns were filed and processes electronically. 42 mln payments involved the traditional paper coupon and check.

If you take a look at the US government top 20 IT contracts, they will total $250 bln in fiscal 2006, Input says. In 2005 top 20 IT contracts provided for $250 bln.

The federal government awarded a record-high $69.23 bln in contracts to small businesses in 2004, according to Federal Procurement Data Center.

According to Input, federal telecommunications spending is expected to increase from $16 bln in 2005 to almost $21.4 bln in 2010.

According to the UK Public Accounts Committee report, by the end of March 2004, 254 government IT projects had been reviewed, with 50% getting an amber rating, 28% red, and 22% green.

UK Office of Government Commerce estimates 2005-2006 government spending on IT to reach 15 bln pounds.

British consumers spent 1.4 bln pounds online in April 2005, 29.3% more than in April 2004, reports the Interactive Media in Retail Group.

British researcher YouGov found that while 50% of first-time voters voted on Big Brother reality TV show, just 40% of them will vote in general elections. At the same time, 70% of young people are “very interested” in issues such as taxes, the environment and healthcare.

IBM and Economist magazine conducted e-readiness survey for countries around the world. A country’s e-readiness score is a measure of its e-business environment, a collection of factors that indicate how amenable a market is to Internet-based opportunities.