technology and government

Business Week has a special report on in their latest online issue that shows government trying to adopt new methods, and facing new challenges while doing so. It's a six part series, and it raises a number of good questions.

The first part takes a look at whether the efficiencies of the web might help agencies save money while providing improved services.

The IRS is trying to meet a goal of having 80% of their filings be completed online by 2007, and the biggest hurdle that they face is having the public help them while being an unpopular entity. Internet filing reduces the costs associated with paying taxes by half, and speeds the process up tremendously. Will the American public help them meet that goal?

The Office of Management & Budget is responsible for coordinating the IT efforts of the federal government. Are they up to the challenge? (And, it is quite a challenge.)

Instead of targeting consumers directly, many dot com's are looking at becoming customers of the government. Is it a business model with a possibility of success?

More public records from the government are becoming available online. What is the proper balance between privacy and accessibility to public records?

Political campaigns are going online, and sometimes that's not a good thing. How will politics and internet mesh as more candidates to to the web in the future.