The latest addition to our list of fact sheets focuses on Virginia: Municipal Networks Deliver Local Benefits. We noticed that municipal networks in the “Mother of States” have spurred economic development, saved taxpayer dollars, and improved local connectivity. A number of local governments in Virginia that have invested in Internet network infrastructure have attracted Internet Service … Read More
The fact sheet highlights the great work that Minnesota cooperatives and municipalities have done to bring fast, affordable, reliable Internet service to rural areas throughout the state. They’ve built many Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks, but there is still much work to do. One in 4 Minnesotans lives in a rural area, and of those rural households, 43 … Read More
In North Carolina, state law effectively prohibits local communities from collaborating with neighbors or partnering to offer gigabit connectivity to residents, businesses, or anchor institutions. As a result, rural communities are unable to keep pace with the 21st century. The Coalition for Local Internet Choice North Carolina chapter (CLIC-NC) and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) … Read More
A growing body of research is giving us new ways to quantify the harms of bigness and the benefits of local ownership. In this post, we round-up the important studies and provide the evidence that policymakers can use to craft better laws, business owners can use to rally support, and citizens can use to organize their communities.… Read More
Amazon is rapidly expanding its online empire, but behind the conveniences that the company offers are a lot of hidden costs. … Read More
Amazon fulfillment centers impose so many hidden costs on local economies that cities ought to reconsider welcoming them at all, much less greasing the way with public funds.… Read More
Stetser Elementary and Main Street Elementary Green Team students took the lead in starting a successful recycling collection pilot project at their respective schools during Spring 2015. This is the first phase of the Chester Zero Waste School Project, a partnership of the City of Chester, Chester Upland School District, and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance … Read More
Every city, county, and state must think about waste. For most it is a headache, but for a growing number of forward-thinking locales it is a boon for economic development. If your community is interested in green jobs, the discard stream is a logical place to start. When handled properly, the items in the discard stream … Read More
At MuniNetworks.org, we provide resources that support local authority for broadband networks that are directly accountable to the communities they serve. As more community leaders realize the economic benefits of faster, more reliable Internet services, they are pursuing local control of connectivity through public ownership, cooperative models, and other nonprofit approaches. The vast majority of community … Read More
