Jacob Demmitt
Government-subsidized internet crosses political boundaries in Southwest Virginia
Joe McNamara is heading to the Virginia House of Delegates with the promises of a red-blooded Republican, from reining in spending to avoiding tax increases. But the former Roanoke County supervisor is also a supporter of municipal broadband, where taxpayer funds are used to subsidize a government-owned internet service provider that competes directly with private companies like Comcast and Verizon. “It’s definitely, definitely something that whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, independent it really makes no difference,” McNamara said.
Roanoke Valley localities disagree on open access broadband initiative
Three years after local governments first came together to try to bring faster, cheaper Internet to the Roanoke Valley, the localities considering a plan to build an open access fiber-optic cable network aren’t on the same page, elected officials said.
The cities of Roanoke and Salem are ready to pay their share of the $8.2 million project, while representatives from Roanoke and Botetourt counties have expressed hesitation.