| Why not a co-op? Municipal broadband, like other services, forces people who don't want to pay for something to either pay or go to jail. Even where there are no direct subsidies (which is rarely if ever the case) there are typically costs borne by the taxpayer in the form of un- or under-compensated use of resources (rights of way, property for towers and equipment, employee time, etc.) and indirect taxes or tax expenditures (tax-free interest on muni bonds, strain on municipal credit ratings, risk of default, etc.).
If the service is truly profitable, there is no reason why people can't create a co-op or just a private business to make it happen. That protects other citizens who do not want the service from being forced to pay for it, while still allowing people to organize and get a service that they want. |
