Community Owned Networks: Money in Politics

1. Community Owned Networks:Money in Politics Christopher Mitchell Director, Telecommunications as Commons Initiative Institute for Local Self-Reliance June 1, 2013 @communitynets www.MuniNetworks.org

3. Institute for Local Self-Reliance • Formed in 1974 • www.ilsr.org • Focuses • Community Banking • Decentralized Energy • Main Street Businesses • Recycling – Waste to Wealth • MuniNetworks.org

4. Power Shift Local Communities State Government Federal Government National Corporations

6. Unique Challenges • Internet Policy in State Legislatures • Technical Illiteracy • Economics – Level Playing Field • Cable/Telcos in Every District • Lack of Public Interest Engagement in States • Very Easy to Demagogue – “Tax Dollars” • So Many Lobbyists, ALEC • Our Inability to Lobby • Example • TDM -> IP Transition

7. Helping Us • Our Argument: Question is WHO decides. • Polls show Americans overwhelmingly support local decision-making • Joe Barton • Could harness hatred of cable companies to phase out coal in electricity generation

8. A Minor Note • This Internet Stuff is Important – it is only changing every aspects of our lives and economy.

9. MuniNetworks.org/communitymap

10. MuniNetworks.org/communitymap

11. Wilson, North Carolina

13. Follow the Money • Bill passed in 2011 • 2012 NIMSP Report – Dialing Up the Dollars • Tracked Donations from Industry • Aye votes received 76% More than no’s • Four sponsors averaged $9400, the rest $3600 • Speaker of House - $37,000 in 2010-2011 despite no opposition. • Timing of Donations • Tillis was 2011 ALEC “Legislator of the Year”

16. Key Benefits • Provides hard numbers for journalists • Report itself is opportunity for stories, op-eds • We have neither time nor training to compile a similar report • Frequently refer back to it • Making Data Available is Helpful • NIMSP Expertise and Reports are Still More Helpful

17. Last Week… • Chairman of NC State Finance Committee Resigned • Had pushed bill to support one Muni Network • Speaker Tillis “slammed” his office door shut, saying Tillis had a “business relationship with Time Warner.”

18. Longmont, Colorado • The “Qwest” Law • Longmont History • 2009 Referendum • 2011 Referendum

20. Challenges • Perception that a few thousand dollars in campaign contributions has little impact • Identifying source: • Comcast -> Trade Association -> PR Firm • Impact of Lobbying vs. Contributions • Knowing What Information is Available, Where

21. Thank you We want to help you – if you want to talk telecom, let us now. Christopher Mitchell • christopher@newrules.org • MuniNetworks.org • @communitynets

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25. www.muninetworks.org