richardpor
Fur it up
join:2003-04-19
Portland, OR
| Or in other Words
Quickly find applications to justify a political pork project. Never mind the possibility that cheaper methods that are more efficient exist. This is the problem with Muni-WIFI or any big government project. For example has any of them thought to use the existing cellular network. Does building inspector really need to be connected? Perhaps a pad of paper could do. |
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Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | and once its paid off the cost of operation is probally lower then the high cost of data services from the cell providers.
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
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ossito16
join:2004-07-31
Whiting, IN | $20 yea right
What is it going to take to get free public wifi. Why can't they just create a small tax on cigs, restaurant, or hotels? |
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indyattic
Premium
join:2005-12-13
Schaumburg, IL
 ·EarthLink
| said by ossito16  :What is it going to take to get free public wifi. Why can't they just create a small tax on cigs, restaurant, or hotels? As a taxpayer, I say pay for your own stupid WiFi.
Government has absolutely no incentive to be efficient. One step into the motor vehicle office should make any sane person run screaming from any and all government services. |
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Steve
I'm a PC, so shut up
Consultant
join:2001-03-10
Yorba Linda, CA
| reply to ossito16
said by ossito16 :What is it going to take to get free public wifi. Why can't they just create a small tax on cigs, restaurant, or hotels? Why should smokers, diners, or out-of-town guests be expected to pay for your internet? |
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John Galt
Forward, March
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp
·CenturyLink
| reply to indyattic
said by indyattic :Government has absolutely no incentive to be efficient. One step into the motor vehicle office should make any sane person run screaming from any and all government services. We have a stunningly amazing DMV here in Oregon. Fast, friendly, helpful...
You can walk in without an appointment, take your test and be out the door with your new license in 10-15 minutes, pretty much any day of the week.
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A is A |
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bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
| reply to richardpor
Re: Or in other Words
said by richardpor :Quickly find applications to justify a political pork project. Never mind the possibility that cheaper methods that are more efficient exist. This is the problem with Muni-WIFI or any big government project. For example has any of them thought to use the existing cellular network. Running your own WiFi network is cheaper in the long run than shelling out a fortune to the large cell providers for data services, especially the enterprise data services where they scalp you.
Does building inspector really need to be connected? Perhaps a pad of paper could do. If it can be shown that it allows said inspector to work faster and decreases the processing time, yeah, connect that inspector up.
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Prove it... |
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John Galt
Forward, March
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp
·CenturyLink
| reply to richardpor
said by richardpor :Does building inspector really need to be connected? Yes.
He can sign off on various parts of the project right there on the spot...and the job can continue. This is much more efficient than the 3-5 days that the paper process takes. That may be nothing to you, but to those of us in the construction industry, time is money AND project progress.
So on and so forth. There ARE good reasons for agencies to be connected.
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A is A |
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richardpor
Fur it up
join:2003-04-19
Portland, OR
1 edit | Never mind |
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ossito16
join:2004-07-31
Whiting, IN
 ·RCN CABLE
| reply to Steve
Re: $20 yea right
said by Steve :said by ossito16 :What is it going to take to get free public wifi. Why can't they just create a small tax on cigs, restaurant, or hotels? Why should smokers, diners, or out-of-town guests be expected to pay for your internet? I am figuring it could be a small tax though, like 5 cents or so. Maybe take a portion of parking fees/tickets. I bet if city starts at $20 and cable/telcos raise their prices then city will raise their price too. I dont believe the public wifi should be operating to gain a profit to give raises to alderman and other city officials. |
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Steve
I'm a PC, so shut up
Consultant
join:2001-03-10
Yorba Linda, CA
| said by ossito16 : I am figuring it could be a small tax though, like 5 cents or so. Maybe take a portion of parking fees/tickets. I bet if city starts at $20 and cable/telcos raise their prices then city will raise their price too. I dont believe the public wifi should be operating to gain a profit to give raises to alderman and other city officials. Why don't they, instead, put a tax on wi-fi users to pay for hotel subsidies? |
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soccerguy
join:2004-06-28
Seattle, WA | reply to richardpor
Re: Or in other Words
Or perhaps those uses were already in mind when building the network in the first place. |
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expert007
join:2006-01-10
Buffalo, NY | reply to John Galt
Re: $20 yea right
HHmmmmmm...John Galt...aren't you the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles?? 
Just kidding, we have a few DMVs here that are impressive, not quite what you'd expect. |
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John Galt
Forward, March
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp
·CenturyLink
| said by expert007 :HHmmmmmm...John Galt...aren't you the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles?? Well, not in so many words...exactly.
I have to go now. Dagny is calling me. We are taking the car out for a drive...
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A is A |
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nopassstill
@rr.com
| reply to John Galt
The REAL John Galt wouldn't say that.
said by John Galt :said by indyattic :Government has absolutely no incentive to be efficient. One step into the motor vehicle office should make any sane person run screaming from any and all government services. We have a stunningly amazing DMV here in Oregon. Fast, friendly, helpful... You can walk in without an appointment, take your test and be out the door with your new license in 10-15 minutes, pretty much any day of the week. |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
| reply to richardpor
Re: Or in other Words
said by richardpor :Quickly find applications to justify a political pork project. Never mind the possibility that cheaper methods that are more efficient exist. This is the problem with Muni-WIFI or any big government project. For example has any of them thought to use the existing cellular network. Does building inspector really need to be connected? Perhaps a pad of paper could do.  Do you realize how much that would cost? Think of hundreds or thousands of people using Cellular Data accounts. Man, that bill would be huge.
This is a great use that saves the taxpayers money. I'm thinking that wireless meter reading is also a good way to save money... plus it would allow for accurate data for tracking things like peak usage and so on. This doesn't sound like "Pork" to me. This sounds like "Smart way to save money".
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) |
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PhoenixAZ
Joshua
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to Steve
Re: $20 yea right
said by Steve :said by ossito16 :What is it going to take to get free public wifi. Why can't they just create a small tax on cigs, restaurant, or hotels? Why should smokers, diners, or out-of-town guests be expected to pay for your internet? Because I don't care about their money, I just want my internet
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Josh| About Me |
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John Galt
Forward, March
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp
·CenturyLink
| reply to nopassstill
said by nopassstill :
The REAL John Galt wouldn't say that. Touche!
However, in this case I am only stating the facts. I don't use them myself...
I let Dagny drive.
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A is A |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| reply to Steve
said by Steve :said by ossito16 :What is it going to take to get free public wifi. Why can't they just create a small tax on cigs, restaurant, or hotels? Why should smokers, diners, or out-of-town guests be expected to pay for your internet? I agree with Steve here.
You need locus between the tax and the application of the tax.
People are a lot more willing to be taxed when that happens. I can understand hotels; out of town guests are going to like having free wi-fi available throughout town.
Parking tickets make perfect sense too. WiFi would be an enormous benefit for enforcing parking regulations. Imagine the efficiency when the meters actually signal to a PDA map when their time runs out. Combine that with cheap pressure sensors and you can map peak usage of parking in real time and cut down on the number of meter readers. For even more fun, make a "free meter" map available on the public WiFi and in-car GPS signals.
Television franchise fees? Absolutely. Tie the emergency response system and traffic monitoring into your government access channels and people will get all of their public announcements in while watching the morning "traffic report" for the downtown.
And then add in sources from permitting fees, use fees for community GIS products, fees from other utilities (you think private utilities wouldn't love the same wireless meter system?) and you can fund plenty of funding before having to tap the general fund and local residential users.
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telnet://bbs.iscabbs.com
Professional Geographer
Geographic Information Science researcher |
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Homebrew1994
Betzwood Basement Brewery
join:2001-11-15
King Of Prussia, PA
| reply to ossito16
said by ossito16 :said by Steve :said by ossito16 :What is it going to take to get free public wifi. Why can't they just create a small tax on cigs, restaurant, or hotels? Why should smokers, diners, or out-of-town guests be expected to pay for your internet? I am figuring it could be a small tax though, like 5 cents or so. Maybe take a portion of parking fees/tickets. I bet if city starts at $20 and cable/telcos raise their prices then city will raise their price too. I dont believe the public wifi should be operating to gain a profit to give raises to alderman and other city officials. I think a lot of cities (certainly Philly) already tax the daylights out of those things to try to make up budget shortfalls elsewhere.
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My other cyber-pasttime, Where's George
Miserable Failure |
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