Digital divide as City Commission considers utility-managed fiber optics
At a workshop with city commissioners in the city of Tallahassee, FL, commissioners discussed whether the city should get into the high-speed internet business. While several commissioners favored “wanting to issue a request for proposals on a feasibility study and continue talks,” others, including Mayor John Dailey, “were a hard no.” Dailey said the estimated cost “represents a third of the city's entire budget. He added, underground power lines, which would cost nearly $2 billion according to City Manager Reese Goad, could be more of a priority for the city than fiber optics since there are several private sector carriers already providing high-speed internet service.”