If you live in Wilson, this Carolina Journal article may be of interest to you.
Are you a Greenlight subscriber?
While most of the Internet-related headlines today will deal with the Federal Communications Commission’s ruling (along party lines) to treat Internet Service Providers like regulated utilities, another party-line ruling also hits close to home: The commission voted to overturn laws in North Carolina and other states limiting the ability of cities to expand broadband access beyond their jurisdictions. (Already-operating services such as Greenlight were exempted from some of the restrictions in the 2011 law but not allowed to operate outside their jurisdictions.)
The challenge to North Carolina’s law was brought by Wilson, which wanted to expand its government-owned Greenlight service beyond Wilson County limits. A law passed by the 2011 General Assembly banned cities from doing this, and from issuing debt to expand service unless first getting the approval of voters (muni broadband services previously could go into debt by using Certificates of Participation, which don’t require a vote of the people).
Previously in another post on the same subject ... FCC Could Overturn State Broadband Law
Excerpt - North Carolina’s law, passed in 2011, subjects approval of funding sources for new municipal broadband services to a public vote and limits Wilson’s Greenlight network from offering broadband services outside Wilson County.
Wilson borrowed $28 million to launch Greenlight using Certificates of Participation, which do not require a public vote.
Such a funding source for broadband bothered Rep. Marilyn Avila, R-Wake, a primary sponsor of House Bill 129.
“They didn’t ask their citizens if they wanted to pay for it, if they saw it as a core service,” Avila told reporters following final approval of the bill. “We have a lot of people in these cities whose voices have been muted. They do have a voice in the elections, but by then it’s too late. They’re committed to COPs for 15 to 20 years and there’s nothing they can do to get out of it.”
Wilson officials are “cautiously optimistic” that the FCC will rule in their favor so they can expand into surrounding counties where infrastructure is already in place.
Source: Carolina Journal
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