Wired West
Communitynets:
Yes you are correct that Leverett has voted at its 2012 Annual Town Meeting to build our own fiber optic network using town tax dollars. The vote was 91% in favor. We vote on the Debt exclusion funding this Saturday.
By bonding to build the network using tax dollars from the real estate tax we the tax payers will own the network and operate it as a non-profit cooperative municipal network. In Massachusetts we are doing this under the Municipal Lighting Plant legislation from the turn of the early 20th century.
The savings the average home owner in town will realize over the cost of the incumbant telecommunications services will exceed the tax increase substantially. After 20 years when the bonds are paid off the savings will be even greater.
Everybody in town that has a utility hookup gets high speed internet and telephone service on a symetrical gb speed FTTH network for a fixed montly price that is less than half what the incumbant charges to provide asymetrical and significantlty slower service (which is by th way not available in Leverett).
See what New England local town meeting government can if it trys!
Now wouldn't you like your.
To paraphase: Really folks, don't you want your local town council deciding to provide this kind of service and on these terms?
Richard from Leverett
