N.Y. State Readies an E-Gov Rollout

By William Welsh, Staff Writer



JUNE 20 ? New York officials June 20 began hammering out a plan for statewide e-government as mandated by Republican Gov. George Pataki.



Staff from the New York State Office for Technology met with state agency electronic commerce coordinators to begin the initiative designed to provide online access to critical state services and resources.



A crucial part of e-commerce implementation in New York is the education of state and local government staff in the ways of e-commerce, according to the governor's office. To this end, Pataki has designated June 28 as an educational day in which state employees will meet at the Empire Plaza in Albany to learn about his vision, the Office for Technology's plans, current e-commerce projects, and to see how different technologies can be used to improve government business and services to citizens.



These efforts follow a June 12 ceremony in Albany, where Pataki officially launched the state's electronic network, known as NYeNet. The network consists of a "digital backbone" of fiber-optic cables with network access points across the state. Along this backbone, information will flow to and from all major metropolitan areas.



The fiber-optic cables run from New York City to Albany, from Albany to Buffalo, and from Buffalo to Plattsburgh near the Canadian border. The fiber-optic infrastructure also will be used to facilitate economic development for start-up companies in New York.



The progress of e-commerce in New York can be tracked through www.oft.state.ny.us.