Ramona McNeal

Citizen–Government Interaction and the Internet: Expectations and Accomplishments in Contact, Quality, and Trust

ABSTRACT In addition to improving efficiency and transparency of government services, e-government may increase the frequency of interaction between citizens and government as well as improve perceptions of quality and trust in government more broadly. Analyses of citizen-initiated contact with government using Pew Internet and American Life Project survey data indicate that e-government has motivated citizen-initiated contact with government among some demographic groups and magnified existing gaps for others. Online citizen-initiated contact improves the quality of interactions with government; however, the findings here do not support the argument that e-government increases trust among its users. Findings are consistent with the goals of the American government in adopting and promoting e-government.

Technology, politics, and e-commerce: Internet sales tax and interstate cooperation

Abstract Since the advent of the internet, state governments have been challenged to balance the forces of technological change against fundamental decisions about governance and administration. This research examines that balance in the case of electronic commerce and its relationship to state budgets and revenue raised by sales tax. Under the voluntary Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement of 2002, states can cooperate with one another and with sellers to collect sales tax on internet sales, yet only about half the states that levy sales tax have initiated this policy change. This research tests rival explanations for state membership in this interstate administrative agreement and implementation of its provisions from 2003 through 2007. State participation is enhanced by existing technological capacity and frustrated by requirements for shared governance and shared administrative responsibilities. Participation is fostered by more extensive implementation of e-commerce and certain political factors. State fiscal factors and e-Government implementation are not significant. Moreover, state legislative professionalism inhibits state participation in this agreement. These findings have implications for understanding the influence of future technological change on government practices and for intergovernmental relationships weighted toward shared governance.

E-Disclosure of Campaign Finance Information: Divergent Interests in the States

This study examines factors that influence transparency and access in e-disclosure of state campaign finances. Although e-disclosure has the potential to increase campaign finance transparency and real-time public access to information, little research has been conducted on the factors that have influenced the extent of state e-disclosure practices. E-disclosure practices are analyzed from 2003 through 2007 for the 50 states using multivariate cross-sectional time series analysis and data from the Campaign Disclosure Project. Findings indicate the positive influence of legislative professionalism and state resources on more comprehensive and transparent e-disclosure approaches. Findings also indicate the importance of political factors not found to be salient in earlier e-government research and an ideological divergence between political elites and the general public on the value of disclosure.

Children’s Mental-Health Language Access Laws: State Factors Influence Policy Adoption

Despite federal legislation to equalize healthcare for children with limited English language proficiency, some state healthcare agencies and programs fall short in providing children’s linguistic services for mental healthcare. While some states have been aggressive in passing cultural and linguistic laws aimed at providing protection for children, other states have not, limiting children of all ages to potential substandard care. This research uses state-level data and multivariate regression analysis to explore why some states are adopting these laws, whereas others are not. We find two dissimilar forces with unrelated goals must work in tandem to bring about policy change—the desire of civil rights and liberty groups to ensure equality in the delivery of healthcare services, and the desire of state legislature to reduce healthcare costs.