batageek
Slave To The Duopoly
Premium
join:2003-01-25
| reply to pnh102
Re: No fiber builds
pnh102:
Not trying to be argumentative here, but really the muni's have to go through most of the same things the private sector does. If they're offering phone service, they have to be a CLEC and follow all the rules laid out by the FCC. Munis have to play within the "fair market" rules that the Bells and cable cos play. They have to pay pole attachment fees that are in line with what is charged to the incumbents.
As far as tax scrutiny goes, I feel that I have a heck of a lot better chance of seeing true expenditures out of my local government than I do out of the private sector. By law, all the muni books are wide open for inspection. I have the ability to approve or disapprove with my vote. My vote counts for a lot more in the local government, than it does as a SBC or Comcast shareholder.
Speaking from my experience, the private sector also has advantages the public does not. They can spend all the cash they want to fight munis going into business....the munis cannot. If the muni has to go to referendum to get authority to build, the muni can't spend cash to promote the concept...the private sector can and will spend all sorts of cash to obscure the truth. Hate to beat a dead horse (insert graphic here), but look at all the garbage SBC and Comcast pulled just to fight the proposed TriCity munibuild (www.tricitybroadband.com ). They flat out lied and spent a ton of cash doing so.
Again, I'll take the muni. They work for me.
--
»www.tricitybroadband.com |
