High Speed Wireless Internet in Redmond
Tonight, the Redmond City Council voted unanimously to approve my proposal to support the provision of ubiquitous, high speed, wireless Internet connectivity citywide...with minor modifications. Like any good politician (I am neither good nor politician but occasionally experience moments of transcendental goodness in the presence of true politicas like my mother, Laura John, and Councilwoman Nancy McCormick), I am compelled to characterize the council's revisions to the orignial policy proposal as a net improvement over the Planning Commission's draft*.
It is.
The final policy** is now a permanent fixture of Redmond's 20-year vision statement: the Comprehensive Plan. In future years, community development guidelines, city ordinances, and mayoral decisions which abide by the spirit of the following policy will be written, re-written, vetted, argued over, approved by the City Council or Mayor and implemented by both private interests and the hardworking and innovative employees of the City of Redmond.
*Planning Commission draft proposal: "Support efforts to provide wireless internet access citywide. Consider a pilot program as part of the feasibility evaluation."
**Council-approved Policy ""Recognize the importance to businesses, residents, and visitors of access to the internet and support efforts to provide affordable, high speed wireless internet access citywide."
In twenty years, if not earlier, anyone who can afford a wireless device (i.e., anyone) and can stumble into Redmond, WA, USA will be able to tap into the endless richness of the World Wide Web at relatively little expense, if not "free"...even those who are temporarily homeless or penniless.
Since democracy is a fleeting dream, I'd like to extend a special word of thanks to the following folks for keeping it real: Commissioner Kim Allen, Commissioner Suzanne Querry, Councilwoman Nancy McCormick, little 'd' democrat Laura John, Mayor Rosemarie Ives, Councilmember Pat Vache, and Peter Robinson.
