If you live in Brigham City, Cedar City, Cedar Hills, Centerville, Layton, Lindon, Midvale, Orem, Payson, Perry, Riverton, Tremonton, Vineyard, or West Valley City, you just might be forced to pay your city for a service you may or may not want, need or can afford.
On Thursday evening the city of Murray held a community meeting to get feedback on a proposal that would force all city residents to pay for internet every month. Why would any city force it’s citizens to pay for what many might consider a luxury in what is tough economic times for many? First, it is clear they are not heeding the warning to “avoid the philosophy that yesterday’s luxuries have become today’s necessities”, and secondly, they seek to pawn their bad decisions on YOU.
More than a decade ago, city leaders entered into an agreement creating UTOPIA (Orwellian isn’t it?). UTOPIA has become a boondoggle to the tune of well over $200 MILLION, with an amount the cities still owe so large that city leaders aren’t even sure what the current amount is. Murray mayor, Ted Eyre, said, “We’re unsure if that escalated right now but it’d be well over $20 million”.
Your elected officials entered into a deal they couldn’t afford in the first place, creating a fascistic public private partnership, can’t pay the bill (that they don’t even know the size of) and now they want to force you to buy something you may not even want. What if you have Comcast, Digis, Vivint, or any number of other internet providers that you like? What if you don’t own a computer? What if you can barely afford your groceries but are now forced to pay for yet another utility? This is beginning to sound like another government program that promised you could keep your plan if you like your plan.
It is about time government got out of the business of business, using tax payer dollars to line the pockets of private interests. It’s unfair advantage and puts every other company trying to do business in that city in a losing position. Why pay another phone or internet company in addition to the one the city is forcing you to have?
Government monopolies lead to higher prices and lower service, don’t let your city get away with this.
