"It seems many Kansas City taxpayers will be paying for Google Fiber whether they sign up or not. It also seems that Google has a LOT of free and unregulated access in the city. Kansas City could become a testbed for many a Google project."
[because] 'Google received stunning regulatory concessions and incentives.' [quoted within article.]
Yeah. Google got regulatory concessions not available to the 99%. Is that a surprise? This is how "business" is done with local governments across the country. Big businesses routinely get special deals in return for major investment.
Many times, these "investments" don't pan out. Local governments frequently fail to include clawback provisions for those occasions when Scam, Inc., takes the money and runs. It's a bet every time.
As to whether Kansas City taxpayers will pay: the fact is, they have already paid for the infrastructure. (Or they're still paying, via bonds.) So what? Google getting access to rights-of-way sounds like a bet that's better than average.
Proof is in the numbers. (Nice download speeds and the end user costs.) I hope the City Council of New Orleans, LA can get as good a deal.
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re:
"It seems many Kansas City taxpayers will be paying for Google Fiber whether they sign up or not. It also seems that Google has a LOT of free and unregulated access in the city. Kansas City could become a testbed for many a Google project."
[because] 'Google received stunning regulatory concessions and incentives.' [quoted within article.]
Yeah. Google got regulatory concessions not available to the 99%. Is that a surprise? This is how "business" is done with local governments across the country. Big businesses routinely get special deals in return for major investment.
Many times, these "investments" don't pan out. Local governments frequently fail to include clawback provisions for those occasions when Scam, Inc., takes the money and runs. It's a bet every time.
As to whether Kansas City taxpayers will pay: the fact is, they have already paid for the infrastructure. (Or they're still paying, via bonds.) So what? Google getting access to rights-of-way sounds like a bet that's better than average.
Proof is in the numbers. (Nice download speeds and the end user costs.) I hope the City Council of New Orleans, LA can get as good a deal.