Dissatisfied with slow Internet speeds? High monthly costs? Unavailable or unreliable service?
At their July 28 General Membership Meeting, Whatcom Democrats voted unanimously (53 to 0) on a resolution demanding that public option high-speed, affordable Internet be made available to all residents, schools, and businesses throughout Whatcom County.
We realize this cannot happen overnight. But we ask that planning get underway now, with implementation as soon as reasonably feasible.
Nearby Anacortes already offers public 100 Mbps fiber optic Internet service to homes for $39/month, and 1 Gbps service for $69/month.
On the Olympic Peninsula, Jefferson County Public Utility District (PUD) is installing similar public option fiber optic service at comparable prices in a highly rural zone.
There is no acceptable reason to not have comparable service here in Whatcom County.
Internet service is an essential public utility – essential for business and job creation, education, online physician consultations, and much more.
We are calling on all government bodies – county, cities, Whatcom Public Utility District, and specifically the Port of Bellingham – to work together to connect all of Whatcom with a fiber optic network, and to begin rolling out an affordable public option here, in our cities and rural areas alike.
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