City commissioners in a Florida town approved iPads for themselves to save money on paper costs despite budget problems.
The expense of $2,916 was approved for four iPads despite a cash crunch. Last year, Coral Springs dipped into reserves for $4.8 million plus raised fees and property taxes to carry on.
“We’ll definitely save money,” said City Manager Erdal Donmez. He told papers that the cost is “a wash” after factoring laptops the commission will no longer use. The council members were provided with new computers every three years.
The rationale is one used by various city councils who have adopted the iPad to save on reams of paper used to print out agendas for meetings. The agenda for the the last town meeting in Coral Springs, for example, ran 153 pages.
“It’s a way to go paperless,” said Mayor Roy Gold. The commission will have instant access to e-mail, agendas, GPS, the web and their own calendars.
Another city councilor interviewed by Cult of Mac who bought his own iPad said the device saved considerable time and money.
Via Sun Sentinel
Nicole Martinelli is a San Francisco freelance writer who heads up Cult of Mac Magazine, our weekly publication available on iTunes. You can find her on Twitter and Google+. If you’re doing something new, cool and Apple-related, email her.
12 responses to “Budget Crisis My iPad, City Council Says”
It really says something when multiple city governments and education systems are turning to the iPad as new way of handling their agenda.
You don’t see any of those groups getting a Xoom.
yes but at the same time, if they are in a budget crisis perhaps now is not the time. After all, there’s nothing wrong with using a 3 year old laptop a little longer.
exactly. How long before they buy a new iPad because it can do x or supports y… which the current one doesnt. If you really want to make the switch, couldnt the employees buy their own?
I have no problem with a slight increase in costs if that means greatly reducing paper use.
It’s generally against the rules to mix business and pleasure in such ways.
So you are fine with them replacing a computer they might have bought in the last year with a device they could vote to replace next year, the year after etc.
How about simply waiting and replacing no longer working computers with ipads rather than another laptop. And by no longer working I don’t mean “it’s an in order computer but it’s 3 years old”. I mean no longer working as in won’t boot up, too slow to be useful, no longer supports current software etc