According to reports they are building a muni fiber network, not a Muni WiFi network. Is it also gubment cheese if they are borrowing money by bonding?
Jared > Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2017 > From: "Lewis Bergman" <lewis.berg...@gmail.com> > To: "Animal Farm" <af@afmug.com> > Subject: [AFMUG] Muni WiFi > > I guess Coloradan's just can't get enough gubment cheese > > *Colorado* > *Fort Collins Ponders Build-Out of Its Own ISP Using Public Utilities* > Oftentimes, municipalities will partner with private ISPs to provide > internet service as a public utility. But one Colorado city—Fort Collins > <http://insidetowers.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d1b803ea3d99f4c1c1335a213&id=0b96ba638b&e=cc20c00449>—is > considering a ballot initiative that would give it authority to develop its > own internet network through the city’s Light and Power Utility, > reports *Community > Networks.* > > The ballot initiative, which would be voted on this upcoming November, > would change the city charter to enable the Light and Power Utility to > provide internet service. It may also ask voters to consent to allowing > municipal bonds to fund the build-out of the network infrastructure, which > could cost an estimated $125 to $140 million. > > In 2015, the city’s partnership with the private, Canadian-owned company > Axia fell through, prompting the municipality to weigh other options for > providing a municipal-wide network. That same year, 83 percent of voters > chose to opt out of SB 152, which discouraged Colorado municipalities from > building out their own networks. > > Local public officials have cited this vote as a sign that residents favor > the build-out of a locally owned and operated network, provided through the > city government. City Council member Ross Cunniff told *Community > Networks* that > voters are more than ready. “When I talk to citizens, really the main > question on their minds isn’t ‘should we?’ It’s, ‘Why haven’t you gotten > around to do it yet?’” >
