February 16, 2005
Announcing the TxMuni-Action Mailing List
A new mailing list called TxMuni-Action has been formed to work towards the defeat of anti-muni provisions in Texas HB 789. We believe the provisions to outlaw municipal networks will hurt Texans, and only serve the special interests of incumbent communication providers.
This mailing list is unmoderated and open to all interested people. The list is chartered:
- To distribute action alerts, so Texans can take coordinated action to fight the anti-muni provisions of HB 789.
- To distribute news and information about this effort.
- To allow open discusion between proponents of municipal networks and other network service models.
You may subscribe to the list at this web page. Or, you may email a request to subscribe to txmuni-action-subscribe@savemuniwireless.org.
Posted by chip at February 16, 2005 08:58 PMHow about someone posting some info
about what I, as a Texas citizen, can
do to help fight this ban on muni
wireless? I just want an outline of
a letter to send to my congressman or
something along those lines.
Basically, I want to help, but I'm not
so into the cause that I want to devote
the time to join a mailing list. I
don't even have a laptop with an 802.11
card, so for me it's mostly about doing
something quick I can do to protect my
future prospects of, say, being able
to go down to Zilker Park (in Austin)
and use the network there.
I suspect there are a lot of people
like me that want to help, but busy
enough with other stuff that they can
only devote about an hour or something
to helping out.
Logan, thanks for the kind words and support.
We haven't posted a call to action because, frankly, the time is not right.
The bill currently sits in the House Committee on Regulated Industries, so our focus is the seven members of that committee. Your congressperson won't be paying attention until it moves out of committee. (We're still waiting for a companion bill to be filed in the Senate and assigned to comittee.)
Our focus right now is education—informing both the public and the legislature of the anti-wireless effects of HR 789. I hope you will check back here, because when it comes time to write letters, we most assuredly need your help.
Posted by: chip at February 19, 2005 03:13 PM