How Preemption Can Erode Democracy And What To Do About It (Episode 80)
Host Chris Mitchell is joined by Kim Haddow for a robust conversation on preemption and Kim’s efforts to get power back into the hands of local decision makers.… Read More
19 States Restrict Local Broadband Solutions
Municipal broadband networks connect more than 500 communities across the country, but some states are trying to keep that number from growing. Nineteen states have established legal barriers or even outright bans on publicly owned networks.… Read More
Picks: Dayton’s Public Library, Philly’s Progressive DA; Tenn.’s Victorious Workers, Libertarian Socialism and more (1st Edition)
In this first issue of the Weekly Picks from the Desk of David Morris, ILSR’s co-founder details stories of public library system from Dayton, Ohio; features the National League of Cities’ report on state level preemption; an innovative nonprofit in San Francisco’s interaction with the immigrant population; and much more…… Read More
2017 in Review and a Preview of 2018 – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 286
This is episode 286 of our Community Broadband Bits podcast! Community Broadband Bits is a short weekly podcast featuring interviews with people building community networks or otherwise involved with Internet policy.… Read More
Commentary: Local Communities Deserve to Make their Own Choices
This article was originally published in Port Huron Times-Herald on November 14th, 2017. Recently, a Michigan state lawmaker went viral on the Internet — but for the wrong reasons. Last month, state Rep. Michele Hoitenga filed a bill that would preempt … Read More
Court Sides With Louisville: One Touch Make Ready Is A-Ok
Louisville has overcome a tall hurdle in its efforts to bring better connectivity and more competition to the community through local control. On August 16th the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky supported the city’s one touch … Read More
Three Forces Fighting Local Renewable Energy and Three Ways to Fight Back
If you’re reading energy news of late, you might have come across three new ways that forces are aligning against local renewable energy. State governments are increasingly pre-empting local authority on a range of issues, including energy. Utility companies are undercutting state regulation with their legislative lobbyists. And utilities are also bringing their monopoly market power to bear in previously competitive markets.
Infographic: The Threat of Super-Preemption to US Cities
Preemption at the state and federal level threatens local telecommunications authority, as we’ve seen in about 20 states. When state laws usurp local governments’ ability to decide how they improve poor connectivity, they disregard an understanding of local affairs that … Read More
Mayors Take on Preemption to Defend Local Solutions (Episode 17)
Welcome to episode seventeen of the Building Local Power podcast. In this episode, Andrew Gillum, Mayor of Tallahassee, Florida and founder of the advocacy group, Campaign to Defend Local Solutions joins Christopher Mitchell, the director of ILSR’s Community Broadband Network’s initiative and Nick … Read More