E-Gov Link Enables Local Governments to Accept Bitcoin

[Severian]

http://www2.egovlink.com/press-release-bitcoin.cfm

 E-Gov Link announced today integration of Bitcoin payments into its popular E-Gov suite of products.  Bitcoin, a global digital currency, is gaining in popularity, and provides citizens and municipalities a more cost effective solution for payments.

 Local governments who offer online payments can now provide their citizens with another choice of payment method.   Integration with a backend payment processor provides the municipality with US Dollars that they expect.  And the transaction costs are a fraction of traditional credit card purchases.

[BTC Books]

http://www2.egovlink.com/press-release-bitcoin.cfm

 E-Gov Link announced today integration of Bitcoin payments into its popular E-Gov suite of products.  Bitcoin, a global digital currency, is gaining in popularity, and provides citizens and municipalities a more cost effective solution for payments.

 Local governments who offer online payments can now provide their citizens with another choice of payment method.   Integration with a backend payment processor provides the municipality with US Dollars that they expect.  And the transaction costs are a fraction of traditional credit card purchases.

huh what?

[ColdHardMetal]

http://www2.egovlink.com/press-release-bitcoin.cfm

 E-Gov Link announced today integration of Bitcoin payments into its popular E-Gov suite of products.  Bitcoin, a global digital currency, is gaining in popularity, and provides citizens and municipalities a more cost effective solution for payments.

 Local governments who offer online payments can now provide their citizens with another choice of payment method.   Integration with a backend payment processor provides the municipality with US Dollars that they expect.  And the transaction costs are a fraction of traditional credit card purchases.

huh what?

A back end system 99.99% US citizens have never heard of is making it possible for the municipal governments that probably most of that 99.99% deal with on a semi-regular basis to accept BTC as a payment option.

IE: The "I can't pay my bills/taxes with BTC thus they are worthless trash" crowd potentially has a few less bills/taxes they can whine about.

[Elwar]

Wow. Here are some of the cities using e-gov link:
 

Amberley Village, OH
 Population: 3,425
www.amberleyvillage.org
Mobile Site

Bel Aire, KS
 Population: 6,522
www.belaireks.org

 Georgetown, SC
 Population: 8,951
www.cogsc.com

Somers, CT
 Population: 10,417
www.somersct.gov

 New Providence, NJ
 Population: 11,983
www.newprov.org
Mobile Site

 Wilmington, OH
 Population: 12,187
www.ci.wilmington.oh.us

 Vandalia, OH
 Popluation: 14,495
www.ci.vandalia.oh.us

 Eden, NC
 Population: 15,930
www.edennc.us
 
 Plymouth Township, PA
 Population: 16,045
www.plymouthtownship.org
Mobile Site

Mt. Juliet, TN
 Population: 16,495
www.cityofmtjuliet.org
Mobile Site

Sycamore Twp, OH
 Population: 19,675
www.sycamoretownship.org

Carlsbad, NM
 Population: 25,303
www.cityofcarlsbadnm.com

North Olmsted, OH
 Population: 33,481
www.north-olmsted.com

 West Chester, OH
 Population: 56,500
www.westchesteroh.org
Mobile Site

Dearborn Heights, MI
Population: 57,373
www.ci.dearborn-heights.mi.us

Skokie, IL
 Population: 63,633
www.skokie.org

Saranac Lake, NY
 Population: 5,377
www.saranaclakeny.gov

 Ketchikan, AK
 Population: 7,453
www.city.ketchikan.ak.us

 Waynesville, NC
 Population: 9,347
www.townofwaynesville.org

 Sturgis, MI
 Population: 11,127
www.sturgismi.gov

 West Carrollton, OH
 Population: 13,487
www.westcarrollton.org

Payson, AZ
 Population: 14,301
www.paysonaz.gov

 Warrington Twp, PA
 Population: 17,580
www.warringtontownship.org
Mobile Site

 Angleton, TX
 Population: 18,625
www.angleton.tx.us

 Lockport, IL
 Population: 19,217
www.lockport.org

 Mooresville, NC
 Population:19,606
www.ci.mooresville.nc.us

 Monroe, MI
 Population: 21,630
www.ci.monroe.mi.us

 Winter Haven, FL
 Population: 27,137
www.mywinterhaven.com
Mobile Site

 Romeoville, IL
 Population: 32,481
www.romeoville.org

 Sarasota, FL
 Population: 53,259
www.sarasotagov.com

 Niagara Falls, NY
 Population: 55,593
www.niagarafallsusa.org

 Colerain Township, OH
 Population: 60,144
www.coleraintwp.org

Montgomery, OH
 Population: 9,753
www.montgomeryohio.org

 Anoka, MN
 Population: 17,858
www.ci.anoka.mn.us

Menlo Park, CA
 Population: 29,811
www.menlopark.org

 Maricopa, AZ
 Population: 37,863
www.maricopa-az.gov

[ColdHardMetal]

Well that's certainly a little underwhelming.

[Zangelbert Bingledack]

That was a partial list. Basically they deal with suburbs and towns, not big cities.

[Elwar]

This is an easy way to encourage your town officials to accept Bitcoin without the need to explain anything about Bitcoin.

You can push e-gov link as a modern alternative to their old way of handling things.

Hmm, my county uses Civic Plus http://civicplus.com/

I will encourage them to use e-gov link while also pressuring Civic Plus to accept Bitcoin.

[jerfelix]

Well that's certainly a little underwhelming.

Hi.  I'm with E-Gov Link.  Yeah, we're no Amazon, but we're doing what we can to help the Bitcoin economy.  I'm of the mindset of "if we all do what we can, where we can, to further the acceptance of Bitcoin, then this will succeed."  and this is something we could do.

We have customers across the US, in over 30 states.  We're dealing with small and medium sized municipalities - cities, towns, townships, villages, and counties, and we provide web solutions for them.

Glad to answer any questions. 
We also covered a lot on Reddit: 
http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1b63xq/pay_the_government_with_bitcoin_leading_municipal/

We look at Bitcoin as a competitive advantage. 
(Quote me on that!)

[SBC]

I guess the main problem is waiting for the value to stabilize. I can't seen how many individuals or businesses would want to pay their bills at the present time when, for ever extra hour they hold their coins they appreciate by several cents. This current rise cannot be good for any merchants denominating their goods or services in Bitcoin or even just accepting payment in Bitcoin.

[TsuyokuNaritai]

Bets on how many years till the US government will only take BTC?  

[tysat]

Bets on how many years till the US government will only take BTC?  

Never!

[giszmo]

This is an easy way to encourage your town officials to accept Bitcoin without the need to explain anything about Bitcoin.

You can push e-gov link as a modern alternative to their old way of handling things.

Hmm, my county uses Civic Plus http://civicplus.com/

I will encourage them to use e-gov link while also pressuring Civic Plus to accept Bitcoin.

Better convince civicplus to take the same step as e-gov link than to advertise a product you have no clue about for one single feature that you happen to be a fan boy of and that you were presented with for exactly that reason.

[Severian]

I'm of the mindset of "if we all do what we can, where we can, to further the acceptance of Bitcoin, then this will succeed."  and this is something we could do.

We're of the same mindset. Thanks for doing what you can. It seems small to some now but could prove to be huge down the road.

I'll be emailing the folks I know in my city government with this link. Thanks for posting.

[MoonShadow]

Wow.  Just, wow.

If this is not a joke, then it's a huge step forward for bitcoin.

[jerfelix]

Wow.  Just, wow.

If this is not a joke, then it's a huge step forward for bitcoin.

I assure you, it's not a joke.  The next step is for a municipality to step forward and ask us (E-Gov Link) to enable Bitcoin payments.

And so if some citizens contact their local city hall / town hall / township / village hall administrator, and say "hey, why don't you accept Bitcoins", then maybe the progressive ones will give us a call.

Feel free to direct them to the press release and to our website.
http://www2.egovlink.com/press-release-bitcoin.cfm

[MoonShadow]

Wow.  Just, wow.

If this is not a joke, then it's a huge step forward for bitcoin.

I assure you, it's not a joke.  The next step is for a municipality to step forward and ask us (E-Gov Link) to enable Bitcoin payments.

And so if some citizens contact their local city hall / town hall / township / village hall administrator, and say "hey, why don't you accept Bitcoins", then maybe the progressive ones will give us a call.

Feel free to direct them to the press release and to our website.
http://www2.egovlink.com/press-release-bitcoin.cfm

You guys have to have been working on this well before the FinCEN guidance report.

[w1R903]

Wow.  Just, wow.

If this is not a joke, then it's a huge step forward for bitcoin.

I assure you, it's not a joke.  The next step is for a municipality to step forward and ask us (E-Gov Link) to enable Bitcoin payments.

And so if some citizens contact their local city hall / town hall / township / village hall administrator, and say "hey, why don't you accept Bitcoins", then maybe the progressive ones will give us a call.

Feel free to direct them to the press release and to our website.
http://www2.egovlink.com/press-release-bitcoin.cfm

Well-done, bravo!

Thanks for helping bring Bitcoin to the mainstream.

[Paul Troon]

I can't comment on the other cities listed, but Menlo Park (CA) would be a natural place to see government start accepting bitcoin.  They have an important tax base of VC and technology companies.  If any of those companies start to receive bitcoin income it would be natural for them to want to start paying their city obligations in bitcoin.

[ColdHardMetal]

Well that's certainly a little underwhelming.

Hi.  I'm with E-Gov Link.  Yeah, we're no Amazon, but we're doing what we can to help the Bitcoin economy.  I'm of the mindset of "if we all do what we can, where we can, to further the acceptance of Bitcoin, then this will succeed."  and this is something we could do.

We have customers across the US, in over 30 states.  We're dealing with small and medium sized municipalities - cities, towns, townships, villages, and counties, and we provide web solutions for them.

Glad to answer any questions. 
We also covered a lot on Reddit: 
http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1b63xq/pay_the_government_with_bitcoin_leading_municipal/

We look at Bitcoin as a competitive advantage. 
(Quote me on that!)

In retrospect that might have been a touch harsh. Really you're potentially exposing, what, a million plus people to BTC? Nothing wrong with that.

[allthingsluxury]

Bets on how many years till the US government will only take BTC?  

I highly doubt that unless it gets forced on them. IE their currency completely collapses. Even then I'm sure they will just come up with another way of slowly / quickly stealing your wealth.