Remarks of GOV. JUDY MARTZ
for Technology Day,
January 24, 2001
Noon, Capitol Rotunda

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Thank you, Tony. I'm truly delighted to be here today and am honored to be part of the first Montana Information Technology Day.

As I thought about the theme of this event -- "Serving Citizens with Information Technology" -- I could think of few other recent "inventions" that directly affect our lives more than information technology and particularly the Internet. These new technologies promise tremendous improvements in services that are truly beneficial to every Montanan.

Today I'd like to explore some of the benefits and risks of information technology -- and look at effective ways we can ensure that these innovations are useful to everyone.

I'd like to challenge each of you to help seize this opportunity for improved service to the citizens and businesses of Montana.

We know that information technology can be a powerful enabler for individuals and communities, but we must work together to make sure this happens.

In many respects, the information age began more than 500 years ago in 1453 with the invention of moveable type. Ever since then, people have been wrestling with the implications of the Information Age.

In the late 19th century, Oscar Wilde referred to this struggle when he said: "It is a very sad thing that nowadays there is so little useless information."

In the past 50 years, integrated circuit technology in computers has yielded a billion-fold reduction in the price-to-performance ratio for communication.

This can be compared to the industrial revolution, which was enabled by only a thousand-fold increase in power from a horse to a steam engine.

The increasing reductions in the costs and complexity of technology are changing the ways in which people can create, use, disseminate, and preserve information and knowledge.

At this point in history, technology dramatically reduces the constraints of time, distance, and costs in linking people to information and to each other. This is especially important for Montana, with it's widespread population ranging across such a vast amount of real estate.

State government will become increasingly inadequate if it fails to seize upon technology as a major vehicle for delivering services.

The opportunities of information technology have been recognized by the private sector and increasingly by the public sector as well.

At the same time, the fears and concerns raised by information technology represent understandable human responses. Will it mean that people won't talk face-to-face and work together? Will we sacrifice real human interaction?

Whether the fears about information technology become prophetic depends largely on how we respond to the challenges before us.

We need to be "inventive" if we are to avoid the pitfalls and realize the full potential of information technology.

Thomas Jefferson said that, "A democratic society depends for its strength on the free flow of information and an informed electorate."

Today's digital technologies are natural tools that enable and extend the ability of Montanans to communicate and collaborate with their state government.

Fortunately, as demonstrated here today, a variety of projects exist that exhibit how these technologies enable and extend the ability of people to communicate and do business with state government.

The key is to start with human need and to use technology to serve that need while maintaining integrity and respect for people -- so that the entire process is focused on and driven by human needs, rather than by technology. Technology is a useful tool in the process.

Whether we like it or not, technology and the information it carries is the new vehicle for administering government services and economic activity.

The information superhighway has affected and improved the lives of individuals of all ages. Likewise it has affected Montana's approach to government, it's business environment, and the very fabric of community life.

The possibilities are endless. Citizens can -- or will be able to -- dial up City Hall to find out about the expenditures of their tax dollars on particular projects, register to vote, make their views known to elected officials, and obtain licenses and permits online.

Consumers can order goods and services from local businesses, check on local job opportunities, find out about evening courses at the local community center, and obtain information from libraries and other cultural institutions to enable them to continue learning. They can do all of these things from their home or business.

So, given all these apparent advantages to information technology, how can we best take advantage of it and ensure that our fellow citizens and businesses are getting the government services they need?

The key lies in preparation and education. Those who are ready to take advantage of the technology and who are adequately educated in how to use the technology will be the ultimate beneficiaries.

We must make sure that we identify these opportunities and make them available to all Montanans. To do this, the public and private sectors must work together.

As you can see, we are remaking the face of state government. The only limit is the prominence that technology holds in our state today.

And in that vein, I want to direct your attention to the Montana Information Technology Act - Senate Bill 131, sponsored by Senator Taylor, which elevates Information Technology in our state.

The late science writer Isaac Asimov said that, "No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be." Technology is, and will increasingly become, a vital part of our world and with that will come the need for governance, guidance and competency for Information Technology in the State of Montana.

Obviously, this is a watershed time in our state's history. We have much to do. State agencies need to redefine systems, striving always to keep knowledge working for a healthy Montana.

People like you, who have an understanding of the needs of Montana and the practical application of knowledge to meet those needs, must assume greater leadership around this transformation.

This is the challenge I'd like to leave with you today. We must look for new and "inventive" methods of working together to find ways to integrate information technologies into our problem-solving tool kit.

With a solid commitment from each of you, we can go a long way toward using information technology to meet human needs.

We have to make technology a servant to our needs, rather than letting ourselves be buffeted about by the winds of change and each of you can play a vital role in bringing this about.

The time is now to look for innovative ways to build effective information technology solutions and tap into the vast power that the information revolution offers us.

Let's act now for our state. Let's get connected! Thank you.