Users want e-gov

E-government services on federal, state and local Web sites are becoming a necessity, according to a new study.The poll, released last week by the Council for Excellence in Government, surveyed 961 people nationwide and 400 government officials last November.Accountability is the most important benefit of e-government according to 30 percent of the respondents. Eighteen percent said security and 17 percent said information access were advantages.Privacy and security also remain a top concern, the survey found. Those polled also said it is “very important” for government to invest money in applications to improve communication among federal, state and local authorities for homeland security.Sponsored by Electronic Data Systems Corp., the survey was conducted by Coldwater Corp. of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Peter D. Hart Research Associates Inc. of Washington.“E-government has become a way of life,” said Peter Hart, chief executive officer of Hart Research. “It has gone from the fringe to the mainstream.