Description

Our quality of life as individuals depends greatly on the health and sustainability of our communities.

From streets and roads to playgrounds and parks to transit systems to sanitation services, government pro-vides us with the services we use nearly every day. We depend on our government leaders to set wise policies and plan for the smooth delivery of these services.

Geographic information systems (GIS) technol-ogy, the subject of this book, enables spatial analysis of place-based data through the creation of easy-to-understand maps. A robust GIS program can signifi-cantly enhance the ability of government leaders to make better decisions and improve the delivery of ser-vices in our communities. GIS applications have intro-duced a wide range of innovations, both small and large, into government business processes. These innovations have resulted in new and improved services, time and cost savings, and greater accuracy and transparency in the way government works.This book, The GIS Guide for Elected Officials, will assist government leaders in understanding how GIS technology can aid their work. We believe it may even help bridge the gap when elected officials and GIS staff come together to discuss what GIS data is available to the community-be that a town or city, county, state, or regional coalition of governments-and what appli-cations are needed or would be desirable to improve the quality of life in our communities.
If you are an elected leader reading this book, we hope you will let us know how we can continue to aid you in your work

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