Citizen Connection Needs Surge Of Funds

The Citizen Connection wants to provide government pit stops along the information highway, but it needs some fuel first.

The new group is holding a fundraiser at 7 p.m. today in the teleconferencing room of the Foley Center at Gongaza University.

Experts will show people how to log on to the Internet, and how to use the Citizen Connection home page, which will offer information on local, state and national government.

The home page is on the World Wide Web, the part of the Internet that uses graphics and links between computers to provide information.

Organizers want to offer summaries of proposals being considered by local politicians.

Today, organizers will show off an example of information planned for the service. A brief summary of the proposed consolidation charter will link to the full text of the charter, said David Buxton, vice president of Citizen Connection.

“Our hope is to develop this home page essentially so it can present not just the dry text of an issue,” he said. “For example, the science center - we would have been able to show a graphic of what it looked like.”

Right now, the home page is rough. Links to national and state government information are shaky.

The organization needs money, Buxton said. Just how poor is Citizen Connection? It doesn’t even have $465 to register as a non-profit company with the IRS.

That means it has a difficult time attracting donations.

The $20 fee for the seminar- $5 for students - will help pay for the Citizen Connection’s home page on the World Wide Web.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: WEB SITE Citizens Connection’s is located at: http://www.iea.com/gants/tcc.html