Some 1% sales tax questions:
On Boreal there is a reference to a Q&A column. Where is it? Thefew you see certainly don’t represent what people are asking about.
How many customers does either the telephone system or the broadband system require to break even? We see all kinds of numbers thrown around— I can’t find either of the two I’m asking for.
Why would I buy the county-owned telephone at $18 a month when I already have it cheaper at $16.75 a month? Anyone else?
Who will build this telephone company, the physical structure? Who will operate it — more hired county staff? When it doesn’t make its projected income, who will buy a second hand system at how much of a loss?
The idea of broadband to produce “our own videos of local events” is great. It means I do not have to go to an event to show my support. I do not have to pay a fee that helps to support the activity and I do not need to buy supper while in town or popcorn or anything else because I’m not there! Is that what we really want? No one in the stands or on the street corners?
Does anyone else feel like they are being “held hostage” in this deal? Vote no on the referendum and all the good things die (pool, Birch Grove, etc.) as well as the overwhelmingly expensive unproven over their heads broadband.
Did you know there are businesses that operate on a national level that have highspeed and are not in town? So whom are we really going to serve — those who could afford to buy what they need if they really needed it?
How deep are your pockets, taxpayers? Of course the county board will commit adequate funds to leverage the balance of the funding needed to support the broadband project, and we will pay.
What happens if we vote No on the telephone and Yes on the 1%? Does broadband die and all the 1% goes to fund the remaining six projects?
Not enough information! I say No.
Arvis Thompson
Grand Marais
Editors note:
Boreal Access now has a page of
information, sponsored by proponents of the passage
of the 1% sales tax at boreal.org/drupal/
onepercent. Danna MacKenzie, Cook County
information technology director is also offering a
Broadband Question of the Day on the Cook County
E-Democracy page at forums.e-democracy.
org/groups/cc.
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