The General Assembly is currently debating House Bill 129, which will stop your tax dollars from being used to build municipal cable, phone, and Internet broadband systems.

Some politicians in North Carolina have decided to jump into the broadband internet business. This move uses your tax dollars to finance politicians’ big plans. Why gamble with your local tax dollars in a risky new business?

Almost without fail, these government intrusions into the marketplace result in projects that run over budget, provide service that is below expectations, and ultimately result in either abandoned projects or continuing taxpayer subsidies.

Click here to read a report from AFP Foundation on what happens when your local government gets “wired.”

The local tax dollars you pay should be used for police, fire, and other vital services, not to create government jobs and hurt private business through unfair competition.

Click here to contact your State Senator and urge them to support HB 129.

This bill prevents local governments that elect to provide commercial television, telephone, and Internet services from engaging in unfair and anticompetitive conduct. The bill, referred to as “level playing field” legislation, stops cities from unfairly subsidizing their commercial video, telephone, and Internet activities with tax dollars, utility revenues or other discriminatory, anti-competitive regulatory measures.

The bill also protects taxpayers such as you by requiring that cities get voter approval before incurring debt for the purpose of competing against private industry.
Ultimately – this legislation will promote and protect jobs and investment in this vital sector of North Carolina’s economy.

This bill is advancing in the State Senate and I ask you to take action now!
Click here to contact your State Senator and urge them to support HB 129.

Thank you for your continued dedication and activism. Step by step, we are making North Carolina more free and prosperous.