Broadband efforts keep local officials in Raleigh

By Shelley Smithssmith@salisburypost.com

Salisbury officials made another trip to Raleigh last week to fight for the city's right to provide broadband Internet service and promote the importance for any North Carolina municipality to be able to do the same thing.

Mayor Susan Kluttz, Assistant to the City Manager Doug Paris, Access 16 Manager Jason Parks and Broadband Services Director Mike Crowell made a trip Wednesday to Raleigh for a final review of Senate Bill 1209 by the Senate Finance Committee.

With some changes, the committee adopted the bill and it is now scheduled to go to the Senate for a final reading Monday. The House of Representatives will take it up after that.

"For three years we've been fighting bills in Raleigh that have been run by the Cable Association," Paris said. In 2009, a proposed bill that would keep municipalities from competing with cable companies on broadband services was sent for study by Senate subcommittees.

The first part of the bill that was adopted Wednesday is to continue the 2009 study of communication systems owned and operated by local governments.

"We're confident if they take the time to study it, they'll realize how important it is to our state," Paris said.

The second part of the bill, Paris said, directs the Local Government Commission to be more selective in its approval of municipal broadband debt during the study period.

A third section of the bill exempts any city or town already in the broadband business. Any community that has completed a feasibility study is also exempt, as is any city that's a likely possibility for Google's fiber project.

During the meeting Wednesday, no one was allowed to speak, but Salisbury officials listened closely to the proceedings.

During discussion, several senators expressed their concern with broadband access for small communities.

"It is very important to keep an open playing field, to ensure robust competition, upgrades and competitive entry into this area, and really bring access to everybody," said Sen. Joe Sam Queen, a Democrat. "We need to be mindful that North Carolina protects the interests of its citizens in this incredibly important infrastructure for the future.

"We need to be very mindful of slowing down the rollout, or putting up impediments to competition."

Sen. William R. Purcell asked fellow Democratic Sen. David W. Hoyle, who introduced the bill, where the small communities stood.

"What assurance do we have that the big companies will not overlook the small, less profitable markets, our small communities," he asked.

Hoyle replied: "We're not going to get broadband to everybody in the state anytime soon."

Purcell said everyone should have access to broadband.

"I hope that in the end we do keep small communities in mind because they need the broadband as much as the larger cities do," he said.

Kluttz agrees with that.

"As vice chair of the North Carolina Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, I very much disagree" with Hoyle's comment, she said. "I believe each and every person in North Carolina deserves this opportunity.

"I was shocked to hear somebody in the state legislature say that. There's no question the technology is our future."

She also said she was "appalled" that municipalities had to jump through so many hoops to better their economies.

"Nationally, I have heard from President Obama's administration, two years in a row, that municipal broadband is one of the ways the economy is going to recover," she said. "The president has offered $7.2 billion in stimulus for broadband.

"Our national government is promoting this, and, at the same time, we have a state government trying to put restrictions on it. I think our state should be incentivizing this."

Despite Hoyle's comments, Kluttz said she was happy with the changes to the bill.

"It's really good news to us," she said. "I am very grateful to our local delegation, Rep. Lorene Coates and Sen. Andrew Brock. They have been supportive of us throughout this and they understand why it's important to us."

Kluttz said she and other Salisbury officials will be in Raleigh when the bill goes to the House of Representatives.

"We don't have a choice and we will continue to monitor this," she said. "Anytime it is mentioned, I plan to be there."