Click: TPU board should support mayor's plan

I am writing to urge the Tacoma Public Utility Board to vote in support of Mayor Marilyn Strickland’s plan to improve the Click telecommunications utility.

In embracing Click, Tacoma enjoys an opportunity to address the troublesome “digital divide” that increasingly defines the haves and have-nots in this second decade of the 21st century. We owe it to our students and workers to ensure access to high-quality digital services such as fast Internet. Click, as a publicly run entity, is in the best position to provide this.

The mayor’s proposal will strengthen Click in three areas. Faster speeds will benefit everyone; affordable prices for lower-income ratepayers mean fairer access to everything from educational and cultural opportunities to better jobs; and an expanded Click service area means even more of our neighbors benefit.

All of the advantages to the mayor’s plan are certainly worth an extra couple dollars on my power bill.

This story was originally published September 12, 2016 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Click: TPU board should support mayor's plan."