ConnectKentucky Progress Report Released

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher announced on January 8 the progress being made on the connectkentucky initiative, an effort to increase the competitiveness of the Commonwealth in the "Knowledge Economy". The connectkentucky Report 2003, highlights the economic and cultural transformation that is taking place within the state and in the global environment due to information technology. The indicators for business and local government are encouraging but the relative high cost of high-speed Internet access and the lack of availability in the rural areas of Kentucky have the potential to create a long-term economic disparity.

Contact: Erin Lee
Homeland Security and Technology Division

http://www.nga.org/center/frontAndCenter/1,1188,C_FRONT_CENTER%5ED_6288,00.html

Some 2 million Kentuckians are using the Internet regularly. In 2002, Kentucky residents spent an estimated $894 million shopping online, and the presence of company Web sites and e-mail use also rose significantly. Nearly four out of five Kentucky businesses or organizations use computers for business tasks. Presently, the state has more than 140 online government services. Based on recent studies, it is estimated that full-scale broadband deployment could potentially create 14,000 jobs and add more than $5 billion to the gross state product (GSP) in Kentucky.

In an effort to profile innovative technology use in each of Kentucky’s 120 counties, the connectkentucky partnership recently funded an initiative called KY 120. The intent of KY 120 is to raise public awareness of the opportunities provided through technology by recognizing that best practices can be studied and emulated. More information on these initiatives is available on the connectkentucky website. connectkentucky is a public-private partnership between Kentucky’s Office for the New Economy, private industry, Kentucky’s universities and the Center for Information Technology Enterprise, Inc..
Related Links:

* connectkentucky Report 2003 http://www.connectkentucky.org/Report2003/report2003.html

* KY120 Initiative http://www.ky120.com/

* Governor’s Press Release http://kentucky.gov/Newsroom/GOT/connectkentucky.htm