Governor's Use of State Website Under Fire

By Raquel Maria Dillon on Tuesday, December 16, 2003.

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On the state website, http://www.nh.gov, state residents can buy a hunting license from Fish and Game, read the latest government efficiency report, or book an in-state vacation with a special discount. Web surfers can also sign up to support Governor Benson?s Taxpayers Bill of Rights Pledge. Some Statehouse watchers say such blatant politicking is an inappropriate use of the state?s website. New Hampshire Public Radio?s Raquel Maria Dillon has more.

Governor Craig Benson is pushing his Taxpayers? Bill of Rights. It?s a constitutional amendment that would tie state spending to inflation and population growth. To promote the amendment the governor placed a link on the state?s main website to a webpage that reads, ?Let the Governor know you support the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights.? there?s also a form to fill out with your name, contact information, and comments.
LEACH :06 to use official state website to promote your own agenda is totally wrong.

Hancock Representative and Republican Ted Leach:
LEACH :16 it?s the official nh website and anyone who goes to it, right on title page, picture of governor which is fine he is Gov. Box there says sign up for taxpayers bill of rights. Links.

Leach complains the Executive Branch?s webpage reads like a political website, listing the Governor?s accomplishments.
Benson says if passed by the Legislature the Taxpayers? Bill of Rights Amendment would appear on voters? ballots in November. He says voters deserve an opportunity to learn all they can about it now.
BENSON :16 It?s an active piece of legislation. I think the people deserve chance to weigh in. I have suggestion box, allows people to weigh in on anything they want. Giving people freedom to respond to things that are imp to them is a service to people of this state.

The official websites of neighboring states also feature press releases, speeches, and policy proposals from their chief executives. But nothing like Bensons? Taxpayers Rights Pledge. Vermont Governor Jim Douglas posts his public schedule on his webpage. Maine?s features a photo of Governor John Baldacci with his dog. Aspiring interns can apply to work with Mitt Romney on the Massachusetts state website.
New Hampshire?s Office of Information Technology doesn?t have any guidelines about what kind of content is allowed on the state websites. Theresa Pere-Curtis is the Director of Web Development.
PERE-CURTIS :09 we don?t try to step in to say this is good bad, in terms of words, text on those sites.

Pere-Curtis has been managing the state?s website since the dark ages of the internet ? back in 1995 under the Merrill Administration. She says when it comes to government websites, the line between promotion and service is thin.
PERE-CURTIS :19 In past Gov has used website to proactively show public what is it they do on their behalf. I see that as very different from campaigning or self promotion. But of course it?s a spin that?s open to interpretation

She says Governor Benson?s site has always provided lots of ways to give feedback and collect information and opinions from the public. And that?s what web users want from government on the Internet.
PERE-CURTIS :10 people expect to communicate quickly with government these days. One of things that they want is to be able to access gov, ? they want someone they can immediately email, get immediate response.

Pere-Curtis says access to the official website is just one of the many advantages incumbents have.
Democratic Party spokeswoman Pam Walsh is more suspicious.
WALSH :16 I think there?s a serious concern about governor using state resources for political purposes. What is he doing with this info? Is he sending it to campaign? using it to lobby with state resources?

Ted Leach says Benson talks a lot about customer service but the website is just one more example of how the Governor is acting like he owns the state.
LEACH :20 That speaks volumes about attitude of admin. Taxpaying citizens of state are looked upon as customers coming into his store. Maybe a revelation to him, but the customers own the place, not him.

For NHPR News, I?m RMD.