Folsom, Calif. – The top-10 most digitally advanced state governments in the nation have been identified in the 2004 Digital States Survey, a comprehensive study by the Center for Digital Government that examines best practices, policies and progress made by state governments in their use of digital technologies to better serve their citizens and streamline operations.

Michigan, long known as an industrial-era powerhouse built on auto and steel manufacturing, has emerged as the leader, capturing first-place in the survey, followed by Washington, Virginia, Indiana, Arizona, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Arkansas, Colorado and North Carolina (tied for 10th).

Digital States is the nation’s original and only sustaining survey of state governments’ use of technology in serving the citizen. The all-new 2004 Digital States Survey provides a benchmark for the next generation of digital service delivery and reflects contemporary citizen expectations and the technologies used to meet them.

In March, the Center invited all state governors and their chief information officers to participate in the revised 2004 Digital States Survey. With over 60 measurements in four broad areas -- service delivery, architecture and infrastructure, collaboration, and leadership – this year’s survey is the first report on the transition of states to digital government since the 2002 elections.

"Information technology is one of the most powerful tools used by state governments to serve their citizens." said Cathilea Robinett, executive director of the Center. "In the hands of some incredibly talented and knowledgeable leaders, states have advanced to an entirely new level of digital government. It is fitting now to acknowledge these digital states and the professionals behind the scenes who are making it all happen."

Michigan captured first-place in the Digital States Survey after years of continuous progress, beginning with an 11th place finish in 2000, ninth in 2001 and second in 2002. "Michigan has changed the citizen and business experience through a broad suite of real-time transactional services, powered by an increasingly shared and robust infrastructure, designed around a coherent statewide architecture, and supported by a collaborative planning process," said Paul W. Taylor, Ph.D., chief strategy officer at the Center.

"We’re using information technology to support and enhance the core functions of Michigan government and to position our state as a global economic powerhouse in the 21st century," said Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm. "Information technology is playing a critical role in every aspect of our work. Whether it’s helping us work with local governments and the private sector to improve efficiencies or helping us create jobs through economic development initiatives, information technology is at the heart of Michigan’s state government.

Washington state’s second-place finish reflects continuing leadership and innovation in digital government. It was first recognized in 1997 as the nation’s original digital state – a distinction it maintained for three consecutive years.

"Our participation and consistent high ranking in the Digital States Survey points to the leadership, dedication and hard work of our state agencies to deliver the best possible online service to the citizens of Washington," said Washington Gov. Gary Locke. "We are committed to a future that uses technology to make government more efficient, cost-effective and user-friendly."

Moving up from sixth place in 2002, Virginia earned its way to third place in 2004 through an ambitious effort to be more efficient and effective with scarce taxpayer resources. At the request of Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, a huge IT reform effort is under way in the state moving its highly decentralized IT infrastructure, services and resources into a consolidated, centralized program.

"Our efforts have positioned the commonwealth [of Virginia] to not only achieve significant cost savings, but to improve the efficiency of vital services and give taxpayers a better return on their investment," said Gov. Warner.

Sponsored by Microsoft and Hewlett Packard, the 2004 Digital States Survey is one of a series of national studies conducted by the Center that examines best practices and IT innovations in government. City and county governments, along with state legislatures, are also surveyed throughout the year. The Digital States Survey will now be conducted biennially in even-numbered years, providing a longer time horizon in assessing state progress.

The Center will acknowledge and honor the top digital states at an awards ceremony held this month in conjunction with the National Governors Association meeting in Seattle, Wash.

For more information on the 2004 Digital States Survey, contact Rhonda Wilson at 916/932-1321 or rwilson@centerdigitalgov.com

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DIGITAL GOVERNMENT

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. The Center’s services, resources and special reports provide public- and private-sector leaders with decision support, research and knowledge to help them effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century.

1:47:10 PM    

For more than a quarter century, the award winning Salt Lake Scots have inspired Utah audiences with bagpipe music and drumming. On July 19th, they are joined by the White Heather Dancers to present an evening of Highland music and dance under a Western sky.

The performance is one of many hosted at the Chase Home Museum of Utah Folk Arts located in the center of Salt Lake City's Liberty Park.

more on the Mondays in the Park Concert series

7:42:38 AM    

Mike Bowdenchuk, USDA Wildlife Service Pro-gram Director, released two immature golden eagles in the Utah West Desert in Tooele County recently. The eagles, a male and a female, were relocated to the area 60 miles west of Salt Lake City, after being humanly trapped in Summit County. The two were responsible for killing several young lambs in the Chalk Creek area, and were subject to removal by Wildlife Services.

"Our goal is to protect both the wildlife and live-stock in Utah’s grazing areas," said Bowden-chuk. "While a lot of what we do results in the death of l i ves t o ck predators, we look for the op-portunity to re-lease as many animals back to the wild as possible," he added.

The release of these two eagles is an exam-ple of such a philosophy. The pair or young golden eagles were on their seasonal migratory journey northward through Utah, and took advantage of a feeding opportu-nity with a sheep herd in Summit County. Bowdenchuk estimates the two eagles killed one baby lamb each per day while they were in the area.

Relocating the birds west of the Great Salt Lake encouraged them to continue their flight north, and out of the state. Wildlife Services trappers captured the ea-gles using a soft, rubber-coated leg traps that are designed to not injure the bird’s legs. Wildlife Services is a partnership program between the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and the USDA. Its goal is to protect Utah livestock, and the economic base it repre-sents, in an environmentally sensitive method.

read the July issue of Ag News

7:34:35 AM    

SALT LAKE CITY — The number of cougars taken during the upcoming hunting season in Utah could increase under recommendations being proposed by the Division of Wildlife Resources. People are encouraged to attend a series of public meetings and provide the DWR with their input about the recommendations.

Waterfowl hunting recommendations for Utah's upcoming season, which are still being drafted by the DWR, also will be discussed at the meetings.

Citizens who serve on Utah's Regional Advisory Councils will take the public input received to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets Aug. 12 in Salt Lake City to approve Utah's 2004–2005 cougar and waterfowl proclamations.

Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows:

• Northeastern Region
  July 26, 7 p.m.
  Vernal City Office
  447 E. Main St.
  Vernal

• Southeastern Region
  July 27, 6:30 p.m.
  John Wesley Powell Museum
  885 E. Main St.
  Green River

• Southern Region
  July 28, 7 p.m.
  Millard High School
  35 N. 200 W.
  Fillmore

• Central Region
  Aug. 3, 6:30 p.m.
  Timpview High School
  3570 N. 650 E.
  Provo

• Northern Region
  Aug. 4, 6 p.m.
  Brigham City Community Center
  24 N. 300 W.
  Brigham City

Cougar hunting recommendations

The DWR is recommending that a quota of 527 cougars be set for 32 harvest objective units and eight units managed under a combined harvest objective/limited entry strategy.

Last season's quota was 482 cougars. About 65 percent of the quota is reached each season, so this year's quota of 527 could result in about 344 cougars being taken.

The DWR is also recommending that 259 permits be issued for 12 limited entry units and eight units managed under a combined limited entry/harvest objective strategy.

Last season, a total of 244 permits were offered for limited entry units. About 60 percent of the hunters who obtain a limited entry permit are successful at taking a cougar, so a projected 156 cougars could be taken on these units.

Last season, Utah hunters took 426 cougars. That was below the 475 to 500 cougars the division had projected might be taken and two fewer than the 428 cougars taken the season before.

Under its recommendations, the DWR is projecting that 500 cougars might be taken in Utah this season, which begins in late November on some units. Most of the increased take would happen in southwestern Utah, where deer herds are struggling.

"The drought has really impacted the deer herds here," said Nile Sorenson, wildlife manager for the DWR's Southern Region. "We're not getting the annual growth on the plants the deer rely on in the winter, and we don't have the abundance of summer vegetation that many of the nursing does need to produce enough milk for their fawns. On top of that is predation by cougars."

Sorenson says the ratio of fawns to does in the Southern Region last fall was 54 fawns per 100 does, and the overall number of deer on the region's units ranges from 75 percent to less than 25 percent of the number called for in management plans.

"We're doing several habitat projects to improve the habitat the best we can, but we need some relief from the drought to really see habitat conditions improve," Sorenson said. "One thing we can do for the deer right now is allow additional cougars to be taken. Once the deer herds bounce back, we can cut back on the number of cougars that are taken and allow cougar numbers to also grow."

7:26:55 AM