Can anyone shed some light on this petition regarding grants for GIS in local government? 

Diane Papineau
Montana State Library
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(the text below is from this link)

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/support-access-geographic-information-systems-technology-and-training-local-governments/CmNBbgTh

we petition the obama administration to:

Support access to geographic information systems technology and training in local governments.

Geographic Information Systems technology is becoming a foundation technology for providing services effectively and efficiently in local government. It is ubiquitous in everyday life, even. if you use GPS or online maps, look at maps on election night, or ever dialed 911, you've been a GIS consumer. GIS is useful in every service that uses an address. GIS can help fuel economy for school buses, allow police study crime trends, let parents to check for nearby predators, and it lets you get directions from here to there. GIS can help analyze social trends. It's critical in economic development efforts, and land, infrastructure and transit planning.

Funding for implementing and expanding GIS technology and training would actually make government more efficient and provide jobs.