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Article: Municipal Broadband Networks Risky for Taxpayers, No Boon to.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Online Reporter
- Article date:
- October 30, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Rider Research, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Economic Development
Cities that have attempted to build and operate broadband networks often report large losses borne by taxpayers or ratepayers according to a new report from The Heartland Institute. Of some 55,000 towns and municipalities in the US, only about 200, or 0.5%, operate municipal broadband networks. Many communities that have taken the plunge have experienced multimillion-dollar losses that must be paid for by taxpayers or ratepayers. The report, "Municipally Owned Broadband Networks: A Critical Evaluation," updates work the organization did in 2002 when broadband was less available and more expensive.
"Threatening to ...