Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Thomas Beckett <thomas AT tbeckett.com>]

Heath Roberts wrote:
> I'm not sure how you got that impression from reading the bill. The
> I agree that the title of the bill has nothing to do with its content,
> and the language seems odd, especially since the first sentence seems
> to nullify the remainder, but to me, the effect appears to be
> preventing local governments from *financing* (or purchasing)
> "external communication systems", not from building them. Given that
> most municipalities don't pay cash for large capital projects, it
> could also prevent most of them from building communications systems.

The first sentence that states "This section does not apply to an 
external communication system" refers to and modifies the entire section 
160A-20.  160A-20 itself grants authority to local governments to 
finance municipal projects in various ways.  So S. 1209 would exclude 
broadband projects from that grant of authority.

If that weren't clear enough, the language "A unit of local government 
may not enter into a contract under this section to ..." unequivocally 
prohibits municipal governments from developing broadband networks. 
Period.  No exceptions, no conditions, no elections, no referenda.

The remainder of the paragraph defines a broadband network to make it 
clear what local governments are not allowed to do.

Am I missing something?

Thomas
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Thomas A. Beckett        "At the intersection of business & creativity."
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