More than anywhere in the country, Seattle’s economy is tied to technology. Whether it is Boeing, Amazon, the University of Washington, Microsoft, or the growing cluster of biotechnology firms, our city competes in a world of constant innovation. And with approximately 100,000 high-tech jobs in Seattle alone, with nearly as many in our neighboring communities, our prosperity depends on the infrastructure on which the information economy rests: the Internet.

Across the U.S. and throughout the world, cities are connecting homes and businesses with fiber optic networks. These networks offer better speed and performance at a lower cost. Most importantly, they offer the potential of unlimited innovation.

As Mayor, Michael will direct Seattle City Light to build a citywide fiber optic network connecting every home and business in the city.

We Already Have a Plan

Five years ago, the City of Seattle completed a plan to build a publicly owned fiber optic network. But due to a lack of vision and political will, the current administration has left the plan to sit on the shelf gathering dust.

Private Internet providers have not gotten the job done: in this technology-driven era, nearly a majority of Seattle households still do not have access to high-speed Internet, do not have Internet service at all, or experience poor service. But this is not a mere economic need. In this time of severe wind and snow storms, at this time when citizens are being ignored by their government, we need municipal Internet as a way for city government to communicate better with its citizens.

A Better Deal for Consumers

At a time when Seattle households are feeling their budgets pinched, the city’s private broadband providers charge as much as $60/month for technology that is 10 years old. Soon, that could look like a bargain: cable companies elsewhere in the country are already charging $139/month for high-speed, 50 Mbs next-generation service. We can do better.

A citywide fiber optic network will be paid for in five to seven years, after which service could be provided to residential users at a substantially cheaper price than commercial providers currently offer.

Boosting the Economy and Creating Jobs

Thousands of new jobs in Seattle have been created in the knowledge-based industries: software development, biotechnology, and aerospace. These industries chose the Puget Sound region because we’ve cultivated one of the most educated and creative populations in the country.

A citywide broadband network will attract the industries of tomorrow. It will spur immediate job creation, lower overhead and startup costs for small businesses, and give current employers another reason to remain in Seattle. Companies will have greater incentive to allow telecommuting, potentially easing traffic congestions in the city.

Social Justice and Equality: Internet for All

Broadband is more than just an economic development tool. It is an essential component of the modern education system. Lack of broadband access puts children from low-income families at a disadvantage in modern classrooms, where teachers increasingly expect students to access the Internet in order to complete homework assignments.

Yet in Seattle, 41% of Seattle households do not have access to high-speed Internet, and 27% have no Internet access at all. Internet literacy is an essential skill set in today’s economy, and not providing our children with access is like not teaching them to read. And not just children are affected: Seattle Public Libraries only offer 90 minutes per day of Internet per customer, making it difficult for adults to apply for jobs, putting low-income residents at a significant disadvantage.

We Cannot Afford to Fall Behind

Previous generations of Seattleites had the courage to make legacy investments that continue to pay dividends today. Seattle City Light, the Metro bus system, and our municipally owned water system are now national models that have proven their worth time and time again.

High-speed Internet represents the next wave of infrastructure investment for our city, one that will foster an environment in which ideas, knowledge, education, and commerce can flourish well into the future. We need to act now.

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