Comments on: LifeSlices: Dear government, this is the 21st Century… http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:39:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: tightgrid - Local government yet to discover Paypal. http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/#comment-175198 Mon, 12 May 2008 18:29:52 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/#comment-175198 [...] One of Terry Heaton’s criticisms of municipalities is that a lack of competition has kept them from adopting all those convenient little innovations that make internet commerce a relative breeze. It’s very difficult to find an online vendor asking you to use anything but your internet connection and a credit card to complete a transaction. Local governments, on the other hand, often request that you fax, mail, call or drive something to an office somewhere. [...] […] One of Terry Heaton’s criticisms of municipalities is that a lack of competition has kept them from adopting all those convenient little innovations that make internet commerce a relative breeze. It’s very difficult to find an online vendor asking you to use anything but your internet connection and a credit card to complete a transaction. Local governments, on the other hand, often request that you fax, mail, call or drive something to an office somewhere. […]

]]> by: MarkDM http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/#comment-150703 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:43:08 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/#comment-150703 I was surprised enough that I was able to pay my San Diego Gas & Electric bill at the SDG&E Web site. That was reasonably forward-thinking. But then last month, I got a parking ticket, and I discovered to my shock that the city of San Diego would take payment for *that* online. I'm still bugged by the circumstances under which I was ticketed, but it was nice not to have to mail a check. I was surprised enough that I was able to pay my San Diego Gas & Electric bill at the SDG&E Web site. That was reasonably forward-thinking. But then last month, I got a parking ticket, and I discovered to my shock that the city of San Diego would take payment for *that* online.

I’m still bugged by the circumstances under which I was ticketed, but it was nice not to have to mail a check.

]]> by: Mel http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/#comment-150694 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:10:40 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/#comment-150694 I will say this about a former utility of mine. Oklahoma Gas & Electric made electronic payments easy for me around 2002. The bill images were online and they sent me an email when the bill was ready ... which meant I usually paid the bill the same day (instead of the end of the cycle with pay by mail). I will say this about a former utility of mine. Oklahoma Gas & Electric made electronic payments easy for me around 2002. The bill images were online and they sent me an email when the bill was ready … which meant I usually paid the bill the same day (instead of the end of the cycle with pay by mail).

]]> by: Volunteer Voters » Limited Government http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/#comment-150640 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:27:02 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/lifeslices-dear-government-this-is-the-21st-century/#comment-150640 [...] Terry Heaton, after having to pay for a speeding ticket by fax, notes the streamlining of government services that could come with an embracing technology: I’ll give the city of Lewisville credit for getting it half right, but then it got me to thinking about governments and especially utilities. When will they get with the program and realize that there are newer and BETTER ways to communicate with people these days? [...] […] Terry Heaton, after having to pay for a speeding ticket by fax, notes the streamlining of government services that could come with an embracing technology: I’ll give the city of Lewisville credit for getting it half right, but then it got me to thinking about governments and especially utilities. When will they get with the program and realize that there are newer and BETTER ways to communicate with people these days? […]

]]>