The Raleigh city council is getting desperate to make its $1 billion dollar investment in Fayetteville Street work, or I should say taxpayer investment. Council members would never invest their own money on this long-shot gamble. The city’s plans for high-rise condos are failing. Several deals have fallen through and vacant lots are dotting the downtown landscape. Now the city is offering “free” (taxpayer funded) bus service that includes Glenwood South shops and restaurants seemingly to siphon off some of the people who frequent that popular area.
Notice the windows are blacked-out blocking the view of all of the empty seats.
The latest subsidy to downtown businesses is taxpayer subsided “free” WiFi Internet service all along Fayetteville Street. According to the city announcement here.
The City of Raleigh Information Technology Department has issued a
request-for-proposals for the design and installation of a WiFi network
in Downtown Raleigh. The goal of the project is to offer free, outdoor
public WiFi access in the downtown area bordered by South Street, West
Street, Morgan Street, and Person Street.
The City of Fayetteville is doing the same thing. Katie Bethune and I wrote this letter to the editor of the Fayetteville Observer. The same criticisms apply to Raleigh.
Editor
Fayetteville Observer
The February 18th article ?City studies free wireless Internet for downtown? fails to ask the essential question: Why should city taxpayers be forced by the city council to go into competition with the private sector that is already providing free WiFi service downtown? According to your article, at least three downtown businesses (Rude Awakening, Java Bean and Prince Charles Hotel) have risked their own money to provide their customers with free WiFi. They have purchased equipment and signed contracts with Internet providers in order to attract customers who want WiFi services. If the city council uses taxpayer funds to provide ?free? WiFi services downtown, will the city reimburse these businesses for their losses?
Also, by forcing taxpayers to pay for ?free? WiFi downtown, the city council would be practicing blatant discrimination against businesses elsewhere in Fayetteville. How does the city council justify taxing businesses at Cross Creek Mall, Westwood Center and all other businesses outside downtown to help downtown businesses attract their customers? What theory of justice, what moral code are city council members using to explain this unjust practice?
Michael Sanera, Research Director and Local Government Analyst
and Katie Bethune, Research Intern
John Locke Foundation, Raleigh
