Ah, ok. Fiber is way more capital intensive than the WISP I had, and requires massive funding.
So my traditional sources and avenues for borrowing don't even come close to matching up with the demand and cost of construction. Too bad banks don't see fiber/conduit build as collateral. That is why I am investigating special assessment. -----Original Message----- From: Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com] On Behalf Of Travis Johnson Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2016 11:17 AM To: af@afmug.com Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Special Assessment Just saying that government money is never what it's cracked up to be. I've never taken a single dime (loan, grant, tax, assessment, etc) and probably never will, with any of my companies. It's just not worth all the extra work and headaches. If you have a sound business plan and operation, just borrow the money and get it done. There are all kinds of ways to be creative when it comes to funding. Leasing equipment, 60 day term credit cards, lines of credit (secured with assets of the business), or even home equity loans (4.25% right now, with interest only payments), etc. Travis On 8/11/2016 10:52 AM, Sterling Jacobson wrote: > Definitely. > > Travis, are you just generally saying the money comes with strings attached, > or do you have actual specific experience with Special Assessment in this > manner? > > -----Original Message----- > From: Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com] On Behalf Of Chuck McCown > Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2016 10:51 AM > To: af@afmug.com > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Special Assessment > > Yeah, good people find themselves in legal trouble all the time when getting > involved with guvmnt money. Less than zero tolerance for even the appearance > of evil. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Travis Johnson > Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2016 10:48 AM > To: af@afmug.com > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Special Assessment > > You better build in an additional 100% for overhead costs... I would imagine > you would have to start doing audited tax returns and financials every year. > You will also have to have someone tracking every single expense and what it > is attached to, etc. > > Then you will have all the overhead and administrative costs for managing the > paperwork and government related money. > > Travis > > On 8/11/2016 10:21 AM, Sterling Jacobson wrote: >> Has anyone here ever done a special assessment funded project? >> >> I have a couple of examples in Utah/Idaho, but am looking for >> specific examples and advice from my provider friends here. >> >> I'm not sure if it's called something else in other states so this is >> what I have been told: >> >> You talk to a land developer, get them to partner up with your >> company and the city. >> They allow a tax or assessment item to be attached to the developed >> lot/unit for around 20 years. >> Sometime like $150 a year, so $3000 total over the period. >> The city council agrees and creates a bond type item for that and >> your company gets a check for the total amount times number of properties. >> Then you work with the developer to install all of the necessary >> stuff for internet, which is fiber in my case. >> >> And the new property owner has your service available from the get >> go, maybe with free install, and a $150 a year discount on the >> service for >> 20 years. >> >> Anyone done anything like this? >> >> >
