It’s Groundhog Day In Seattle
October 19, 2017
TheStranger.Com reported earlier this month that the Seattle, Wash. city council will once again consider a measure that would allow local officials to explore the possibility of building a municipal broadband network. According to the website, council member Rob Johnson “plans to introduce an amendment to the 2018 budget to hire a city staffer focused …
Seattle Wins Two Digital Inclusion Awards
August 18, 2017
As readers of this blog know, several times the city of Seattle, Wash. has studied and cast aside the idea of building a taxpayer-financed broadband system. Seattle officials instead have sought to reduce regulatory and other barriers to private investment. The city is now being recognized for its efforts. Last month, Government Technology reported that …
Seattle Mayoral Candidates Discuss Municipal Broadband
July 26, 2017
Twenty-one individuals currently are vying to be Seattle’s next mayor. The primary election is August 1 and in advance of that, GeekWire submitted six questions to each candidate, including one asking whether the candidates would try to build a municipal network if elected. Only 12 individuals answered GeekWire and, of those, only four seemed to …
How Seattle Is Addressing Its Digital Divide
March 1, 2017
As this blog has reported, Seattle, Wash. rejected the idea of building a city-wide, taxpayer financed Internet Service Provider (ISP) multiple times. In a recent StateScoop column, the city’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Michael Mattmiller discussed why the city opted against offering service directly to consumers and explains how Seattle’s alternative approach, which focused on …
Mayor: Municipal Broadband Would Be “The Largest Tax Increase In Seattle”
April 6, 2016
Late last month Seattle, Wash.’s mayor, Ed Murray, reiterated his belief that building a government-owned broadband system in his city is too costly. Murray once supported the idea of a government network. In fact, he acknowledged last month that he was “excited” about the prospect of government-owned broadband when he entered office. What happened? According …
Why Did Seattle Reject Government-Owned Broadband?
February 22, 2016
Last week, the Heartland Institute explored why Seattle, Wash. city council members last year rejected a plan to build a citywide, government-owned broadband system. (The council also rejected a plan to build a government network on a pilot basis – in just one neighborhood – a move that later could have allowed for expansion in …
In Case You Missed It: Seattle Cools Its Flirtation With Municipal Broadband
September 10, 2015
Over the summer, we noticed several news stories that reported cities, counties and states across the country are considering whether to get into the broadband market. It was clear: the municipal broadband issue was heating up. Perhaps the biggest story, though, came from a city that has studied the possibility of a government-owned broadband network …
Will A More Narrow Focus Satisfy Seattle GON Supporters Or Will They Still Focus On Building A Monopoly?
June 24, 2015
Upgrade Seattle, which supports building a government-owned broadband network (GON) in that city, recently held a town hall meeting in which participants discussed a recent report that found a city-wide GON would cost taxpayers up to $665 million. While Upgrade Seattle maintained its position in favor of a GON, Seattle Chief Technology Officer Michael Mattmiller …
Government-Owned Broadband Debate Rages In Seattle
June 22, 2015
As the Coalition for the New Economy reported earlier this month, a city-commissioned report found a government-owned broadband network (GON) in Seattle would cost between $480 million and $665 million to build. Due to that huge cost, Seattle’s top budget officer and its current Chief Technology Officer both cautioned against building a GON. Activists in …
Should Seattle Fight Homelessness Or Build A Redundant Broadband Network?
June 15, 2015
After news broke last week that a proposed government-owned broadband network would cost Seattle up to $665 million and put general fund revenues at risk, officials at the Washington Policy Center came out squarely against the plan. Erin Shannon, director of the institute’s Center for Small Business, explained that “a recent New York Law School …
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