CAPE CORAL, Fla. - The City of Cape Coral has been ranked as one of the Top 10 most technology-advanced cities in the 2008 Digital Cities Survey published by the Center for Digital Government, which partners with the National League of Cities to present the awards. Cape Coral placed 8th in the 125,000 - 249,999 population category. In winning this recognition, the City of Cape Coral joins other major cities that have invested in information technology to "create a seamless environment between local governments and constituents."

The 2008 Digital Cities Survey focused on the implementation and adoption of online service delivery, and the technology infrastructure and architecture that make the transformation to digital government possible. The survey looks for the extent to which both wired and wireless broadband communication links are deployed as well as a city's use of other data center technologies and special projects to meet the public need.

Using the Cape Coral website as a portal, the City provides a comprehensive range of online services. Examples include the ability to pay bills, schedule inspections, renew business licenses, view interactive maps, apply for garage sale permits, and submit and view status for requests for service. Agendas for various meetings are available online, and meetings are broadcast live via video streaming on the website. Meeting videos also are archived and available for viewing at any time by the public. Cape Coral also has a new "P2C" (Police-to-Citizen) website that provides access to police reports. In terms of supporting IT infrastructure and special projects, Cape Coral is a leader in the deployment of the new Public Safety broadband technology recently authorized by the FCC. The City makes extensive use of server virtualization to save costs and has piloted a new process for electronic permit submission.

"Our investments in the website and information technology are making our government more transparent and more convenient," said City Manager Terry Stewart. "In the long run, this helps us deliver higher levels of service at lower cost."

For more information about the Digital Cities Survey, and to view the list of all cities, visit the Center for Digital Government website: www.centerdigitalgov.com/

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Information from the City of Cape Coral