ALEC Urges FCC to Respect Federalism, Reject Preemption on Muni Broadband

American Legislator ^ | 9-4-14 | ALEC

[ThethoughtsofGreg]

On August 29, ALEC CEO Lisa Nelson and twenty state legislators sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). They called on the FCC to respect principles of constitutional federalism regarding states’ authority over their local governments. State constitutions or state legislatures create and define the powers of county, city and public utility districts. But the FCC is now weighing whether to eliminate the laws of some twenty states that restrict their respective local governments from going into the business of providing broadband Internet services.

As a matter of public policy, ALEC believes that private sector investment, innovation and competition offers the best approach to ensuring consumers have access to broadband Internet services. According to the ALEC Principles for Communications and Technology:

Local government entry into the provision of wholesale or retail Internet or broadband services in an attempt to create competition should be permissible only in unserved areas and only where no business case for private service exists, upon a vote by local citizens, and subject to protections against cross-subsidies through taxes or other local government service revenues.

[pierrem15]

"As a matter of public policy, ALEC believes that private sector investment, innovation and competition offers the best approach to ensuring consumers have access to broadband Internet services restrictive, locally granted monopolies offer the best approach to raping consumers across wide swathes of the country. According to the ALEC Principles for Communications and Technology"

Fixed it.

[Wolfie]

Yep. As always, follow the money.

[lowtaxsmallgov]

I don’t understand your point. Are you saying that government should be in the business of competing with business to supply various services?