We need a permanent solution to broadband affordability. Organizer Kimberley Vasquez imagines what it would be like for everyone to have good internet.
https://t.co/SpkxHtMP2I
Kerala, a state with 9 times the Seattle area's population and a quarter of its GDP, will offer 2 million of its residents publicly-owned high-speed broadband free of charge.
Why can't we do the same? @upgradeseattle
The irony here is that the law requiring towns vote to authorize a public network made the issue incredibly public and popular. Comcast lost so badly.
Telecoms are unpopular and public broadband is incredibly popular.
We ought to vote on it here.
https://t.co/GZk03oTwwd
Capitalism is the march towards monopoly. Why literally a handful of private corporations control every industry and act like cartels. They hate competition.
Now imagine public competitor(s) that provide energy, housing, meds, internet, etc, Market forces screw the corps!
Grassroots advocacy work is difficult, especially when it involves directly lobbying officials which takes time to build relationships, trust and build power and trust with like-minded organizations to show a big coalition is behind community / public broadband.
What is risky is for every level of our government to continue to pour public dollars into corporate monopolies that have failed consumers over and over and over again, and who also use their profits to influence elections and electeds.
We have a majority of electeds at the local level who say that a public broadband option is something they would support. This is a popular issue with voters. Yes it is expensive, but don't believe the corporate propaganda that it is "risky" for a government to take on broadband.
Upgrade King County
We helped pass state legislation, made an internet access zine that Seattle Public Libraries found useful, we helped educate electeds and other leaders about public broadband, we convened important conversations among various experts. What's next?
Thanks so much to @realBurhanAzeem who brought so much hope and energy to our working group.
We can't wait to see what happens in the City of Cambridge next.
An inspiration for #KingCounty
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Upgrade King County thanks @upgradeseattle@UpgradeCambMA for all you've done, too!
THURSDAY!
Awesome chance to hear from @realBurhanAzeem about Municipal Broadband in Cambridge and to hear two other great guest speakers and learn about what @UpgradeKC wants to see in King County, WA.
reach out for info for this meeting
6/30 pm May 19th!
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excited to have @realBurhanAzeem Cambridge Councilor at the next @UpgradeKC meeting on May 19 at 6:30 pm (seattle hours) to hear about municipal broadband.
If you’re in King County and want to attend the next meeting email info @ sharethecities . org
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last November to move forward with plans both to back subsidies for lower income people and build their own system.
https://t.co/gOs89DTIqS
We were happy to host a fundraiser last week for @EkcPud. We are an all volunteer group that gets some staffing support from @STCActionFund for 501c4 political work and @sharethecities for 501c3 education work. This fundraiser was supported by the Action Fund.
The budget bill provides "grant funding to municipalities, state and local authorities … to plan and construct infrastructure necessary to provide broadband services.”
https://t.co/tQXoIuVqK2