There was an article in the Roanoke Times this morning about a local businessman who sold his private water utility company to the city of Roanoke--in 1949. So as recently as fifty-five years ago, we had local leaders taking on privately owned utility services.
This provides yet another example of ample precedent for communities to take on new services, like telecommunications infrastructure. But a big difference is that a digital road system will create lots of new opportunities for local and regional businesses. Current telecom service providers will use the new digital roads to sell goods and services to the private sector, reaching more customers with more services at less cost.
It's a win-win-win situation. But we need leaders who have studied the history of community development and who recognize that there are times when local government has an important, even historic role to play to support the common good--just as Roanoke leaders did in 1949.