Wireless (and Wired) Minneapolis

2/21/06 Minneapolis Ways and Means Committee

Deborah Pierce – Public Testimony on Minneapolis Wireless Broadband Initiative

My name is Deborah Pierce. I live in the Linden Hills Neighborhood of Minneapolis. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today. Being somewhat of a computer geek and an information addict, I am excited at the prospect of citywide wireless broadband.

As a supporter of a strong and sustainable community, I am here to ask the committee to follow the examples of Saint Paul and Saint Louis Park and give equal consideration to the alternatives to private ownership of the Minneapolis City Broadband network.

Citizens want this option considered. Since December 2005, 10 neighborhood organizations have requested the City Council investigate alternatives to private ownership and to share this information in a public forum.

According to an Institute for Local Self-Reliance study, even using a worst-case example of public ownership, the city would generate surplus revenues in the first year of operations, provide $70 million in public benefits over 10 years, and be paid off in ten years. This is an excellent way to meet sustainability goals – investing money back into the local economy, creating local jobs and encouraging the growth of valuable expertise in our local and regional businesses. This Community before Corporations approach does not focus on large companies that have a strictly profit-driven view of our city and its citizens.

According to the January 2006 issue of Washington Monthly, 98% o fU.S. broadband is controlled by private monopolies and it is the slowest, most expensive and least reliable in the civilized world. It is my understanding that under the current private proposals, the city would be the primary tenant and have no ownership. The network would be similar to the current cable franchise agreement in that one provider will own the infrastructure and also be the exclusive provider. Considering the ongoing challenges such as our Time Warner cable agreement, I have to ask why the city has requested proposals only on the private ownership option.

Has careful consideration been given as to whether a corporate interest would allow profits to overshadow all necessary opportunities to close the digital divide in our community? Also, is it the wisest choice to outsource the development and maintenance of our city’s entire security and information network infrastructure?

This is a decision that will impact our city for decades. I strongly encourage you to immediately initiate a comprehensive cost/benefit study of public ownership, share this information in public meetings with the citizens of Minneapolis, and to make your decision on the Minneapolis Broadband Initiative only after all options have been equally considered. THANK YOU.