City officials turn to iPads to trim paper usage

[dgstorm]

More and more boards have decided to quit using paper for meetings and turned to the popular iPad, tablets which are being bought from taxpayer money.

Mundelein High School District board members have bought iPads to reduce paper usage, as the board packets range from 60 to 125 pages per meeting.

Government members have also started using iPads for both higher efficiency and trimming of paper usage. However, most have been warned to not send campaign-related emails or work on campaign matters as that’s a violation of state law. They are also prohibited from downloading music and movies or using them in any other way than for work.

“They should all be aware that those computers do belong to the taxpayers and can be inspected at any time,†David Morrison, deputy director of a watchdog group in Illinois, said.

While officials can’t use their iPads in personal matters, most high school board members don’t have that issue and they consider that downloading music and movies out of taxpayers’ pockets is perfectly normal and, further more, a recognition of the effort they put into the job.

Other boards have decided against even letting the members take the computers home, like the city council in Reading, Pa. At the beginning of the meeting, they are all provided with an iPad and, at the end, all the tablets are gathered and put under lock.

However, some other councils consider that defies the purpose, since city officials wouldn’t be able to access the files 24/7.

While most felt ok with using iPads bought from the taxpayers’ money, others have taken the initiative to buy their own and use in meetings, which is praise-worthy, considering the price of only one tablet is 499$.

By Radu Tyrsina

Source: AppleForums.net via DailyHerald