The bill, sponsored by Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston, would require cities to have a vote before assuming massive debt to install broadband cable TV, phone and internet services. This should not be anything new. All city debt should be put to a vote. Instead cities have been using Certificates of Participation to run up the debt for pet projects without a vote of the people.
Should cities be in the broadband business? Ask the citizens of Davidson who are stuck with a broadband lemon and owe $2 million this year on their system that will likely mean a tax increase. Jeff Taylor reports the details in this Carolina Journal article.
We warned Wilson here and Salisbury here about the dangers when they were building their broadband systems last year.
The Independent’s reporters claim to be defenders of democracy, except when voters might use common sense and vote down their pet projects.
