Developing a next-generation network is a daunting task for a city of any size. Access to the resources and tools to develop effective broadband Internet networks is essential. Next Century Cities is committed to developing and aggregating resources to guide incipient projects, as well as tools to help those already equipped with this infrastructure better leverage their networks to yield community benefits.
To that end, the organization co-hosted the just concluded Digital Northwest: A Summit for Regional Broadband Leaders in Seattle with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The summit kicked off with a welcome by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and some sobering news.
“When I came into office, I was very excited about the possibility of municipal broadband until the study came back and indicated it would be literally the largest tax increase in Seattle,” Murray said at the conference.
According to the Seattle Times, the mayor’s office later clarified that financing a municipal broadband system would result in one of the largest tax increases in the city. The $930 million Move Seattle transportation levy approved by voters last fall may be bigger, depending on the exact cost of municipal broadband.
After the city study was released, Seattle launched the Digital Equity Initiative, which will be announcing “significant programs” in about a week, Murray said.
The city also partnered with Google to lend people Wi-Fi hot-spot devices through the Seattle Public Library, a program Murray said was popular on its first day.
Following the mayor’s address were keynote remarks from R. David Edelman, Special Assistant to President Obama for Economic and Technology Policy, who discussed the promises of broadband next-generation Internet access in the Northwest and across the country. A conversation moderated by Michael Mattmiller, Chief Technology Officer for Seattle ensued.
“Broadband is key to unlocking further economic opportunity in the Pacific Northwest and ensuring that children and families can access the resources they need to succeed,” said Next Century Cities Executive Director Deb Socia. “By bringing leaders together to share information about increasing access to this critical infrastructure, we are to maximize the benefits of lessons learned and inspire action through stories of success.”
The regional summit also included a panel of local government leaders discussing how communities throughout the Pacific Northwest have increased digital inclusion. A panel featuring State Senator John McCoy focused on the real-world impacts of high-quality broadband access in rural communities. The day-long event concluded with a panel of federal government officials who shared information about federal financing options for broadband infrastructure projects.
Video of the event will be posted in the near future. [24×7]
