Local and state governments deal with overlapping goals and concerns. A successful state-local project requires an understanding of the conditions under which both state agencies and local governments operate. Since the system will connect two or more levels of government and is likely be in operation all over the state, its designers need a deep appreciation for the full range of issues that both kinds of participants face.

It may be fair to say that there are as many unique local conditions in the State of New York as there are local governments. Nevertheless, there are several areas where almost all local governments share common concerns. These include:

• A generalist’s point of view. Only in the larger local jurisdictions will groups of individuals be found concentrating on or specializing in a single function. More often one person or only a few people must handle many issues As such, they have a keen appreciation for integration, coordination, and functionality in information systems and other business activities. They are less impressed with a particular technology than with what it can do to support sensible operations.
• Proximity to customers and constituents. There is an immediacy in the connection between local government employees and their customers that seldom exists at the state level. Local officials live with those they serve. The same person buying a fishing license or applying for a building permit is also the person they see at school and social functions. In addition, local officials are often elected officials themselves or work directly with elected office holders.
• Operations that respond to local conditions. Geographic location, population demographics, and the conditions and characteristics of the local economy all lead to big differences in the demand for various services. Local governments are also affected by their proximity to state borders, urban centers, and recreation destinations. The techniques that are suitable in one place may be very unsuited to another.

Common goals & concerns State level concerns are often different from local ones, but they are equally legitimate.

• Size and scope of programs. New York State is one of the largest governments in the United States. Many state agencies oversee programs and budgets several times larger than many entire state governments. Since New York is geographically and demographically very diverse, there are often variations and options within single programs that make them more complex and difficult to manage and evaluate.
• A specialist’s point of view. State agencies are very specialized in the work they do and the kinds of staff they employ. While every agency has general administrators and support functions, all are characterized by a particular programmatic focus and professional perspective -you won’t find a public health point of view dominating the work of the Tax Department. Nor will you find much of the generalist perspective so common in local governments.
• Operations that respond to statewide and national conditions. Some state agencies are constantly under the scrutiny of the federal government as well as a wide variety of well-organized interest groups. A number of state agencies receive a considerable portion of their funding from the federal budget and this often entails a wide array of federal requirements. Further, while their main focus is on the particular mission assigned to them by state law, state agencies are also part of a much larger "organization" called state government. They must deal within a larger political climate including the Governor and the Legislature which together represent constituencies and philosophies that are far more diverse than those faced by most local officials.

Both state and local agencies share much in common as well: a focus on citizen services and public expectations, concerns about workforce size and skills, a need to manage internal operations efficiently and effectively, and the problems of tight budgets, public accountability, competition for tax dollars, and decreasing staff. This area of common concern is large and is a solid basis for collaborative action.