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We have so much to get to today, and so little time. First up is something near and dear to our heart: easy access to the Internet. Across the nation, communities are looking at ways to provide low-cost, high-speed Internet access to citizens. Some have already achieved this goal.

But there’s a bill pending in the House of Representatives that would do away with this service, in favor of commercial interests. We believe this is wrong. For many reasons — including the fact that it’s easier to participate in the activities of your local government — access to the Internet is becoming as important as other utilities. And, as with other utilities, local agencies will find themselves offering a mix of taxpayer-funded and commercial solutions. It doesn’t make sense to close one door in favor of another.

Community Internet could provide citizens everywhere with affordable, universal access to high-speed broadband services. New wireless and wired technologies allow local governments, schools, public-private partnerships, non-profits and community organizations to offer faster, cheaper and more reliable service than ever before. But the biggest telecom and cable companies are fighting these alternatives every step of the way.

• Broadband as a Public Service