PLUS
Recognition
Record
(academic)
Recreation
Residence
Roots
Rogues
(gallery)
HOME
 
 
 

The life 
& times 
of
Warren Swil
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

V 1

 

by Warren Swil

Glendale News-Press May 4, 1996

In the high-tech world of digital communications, change takes place at warp speed. The six months since we last wrote about the city's LNX computer network/bulletin board system is about the full shelf-life of many state-of-the-art electronics products. Advances are made so quickly “obsolete” has taken on a whole new meaning.

However, city budget cycles come and go on a fairly regular, predictable schedule; once again the rites of spring (budget study sessions) are upon us. We have already learned the city is facing a potential budget shortfall in the 1996-97 year of about $3 million. How will it close the gap?

The City Council wisely has ruled out any tax increases. That narrows the options to raising some users fees (probably not enough to balance the budget) and reducing expenses. Although not a huge percentage of the city's overall expenditures, the current budget request for LNX's 96-97 operating expenses is $132,500, up from the $84,000 it was allocated last year.

Before approving the allocation, the City Council should carefully re-examine what value taxpayers will be getting for their money and whether an alternative - which may or may not offer the entire range of features LNX does - would be preferable or, at least, acceptable. 

The LNX is a custom-designed hybrid that incorporates features of both a bulletin board and a World Wide Web page. For those in the slow lane of the information superhighway, the Web is where all the hot action is currently taking place and its growth is so manic no one can say with certainty where it is going.

Perhaps the strongest argument made by LNX supporters in favor of their approach is that it is free to the user (but not the taxpayer): to use the Web, one needs access to the Internet and this costs money. To use LNX, just step up to one of the kiosks in the city center.

Glendale resident Hal Weber, a LNX critic, has proposed to demonstrate to the council how it could set up a low-cost web page to provide many - although not all - of the services of the LNX. The council should listen to Weber and any others who might have alternative concepts; they could save the city money.

Defending her system in the News-Press last November, LNX Coordinator Nancy Hunt-Coffey called it a “unique and priceless community service.” It may very well still be, but with the city staring at a $3 million hole in its budget, perhaps it’s time to admit we can get by with something a little less unique and pricey.