FSF's Bolema Slams Michigan Muni Bill That Localities Say is Critical
States should stop local governments from giving special tax and other privileges to municipal networks without extending the same to private networks, Wichita State University Institute for the Study of Economic Growth Executive Director Theodore Bolema wrote Thursday in a…
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Free State Foundation paper. Bolema said a Michigan bill (HB-5673) by Rep. Donna Lasinski (D) to expand local government taxing authority for muni networks would tilt the playing field. But the article supports a “monopolist industry” effort to put down a grassroots initiative “to develop the internet access they desperately need and industry refuses to provide,” responded Kitsch’s Mike Watza, a telecom attorney for Michigan local governments. The bill “allows local folks to organize through their local township offices, to assess a particular area ... for the purpose of financing the development and provision of” affordable broadband, he emailed Thursday. Michigan Broadband Cooperative President Ben Fineman emailed, "The assertion that townships (who are the only government entities affected by HB 5673) want to compete with incumbent providers is laughable." Only townships that have significant populations without broadband access would tap the mechanism, he said. "Rural townships running on a few part time staff are certainly not looking for more work, but they are looking for tools to address what has become the number one concern for many rural residents." Fineman doesn't expect a quick hearing on HB-5673 because state legislators' political priority now is the pandemic, he said. Lasinski didn’t comment.