Mr. Turner goes to Raleigh

The anti-municipal Internet bill written by Time Warner Cable and pushed by Ty Harrell has really pissed me off. We fought this battle two years ago but like the undead it keeps returning.

I’ve been spending my Copious Free Time participating any way I can in getting this defeated. The past two Wednesdays, I’ve spent my lunch break in the N.C. House Science and Technology Committee room, watching as Harrell and others pass this train-wreck legislation as quickly as possible. As last week’s meeting, six out of seven speakers opposed the bill, with the debate running so late the committee could not take a vote. The only speaker in favor was Time Warner Cable’s Brad Phillips, whose company effectively wrote the bill.

For today’s meeting the proponents’ changed their strategy. After Raleigh City Council approved a resolution which opposed the bill based on it denying Raleigh its share of federal broadband stimulus money, the committee quickly drafted a substitute bill which they claimed would allow an exception for “state and federal grants.” This seemed to respond to Raleigh’s concern, but an expert who viewed the new bill claims the so-called exception is so narrow that it is a standard that is effectively impossible to reach.

Also different in today’s meeting was the extensive floor time given to Time Warner Cable representatives. There was one point where Brad Phillips handed a note to committee member Thom Tillis, who then announced he had no objection to a bill amendment. Earlier, when responding to a committee member’s question, Phillips stated that the bill’s changes had been discussed with and approved by municipalities. This was news to Salisbury mayor Susan Kluttz, a feverent proponent of municipal Internet who angrily denied to the committee that any such discussion had taken place. I was told that after the meeting angry words were exchanged between Phillips and Kluttz after Phillips allegedly called Kluttz a liar.

Representative Phillip Haire asked the toughest questions, declaring this bill appeared to be “micromanaging” the cities (if applause was allowed I would’ve instantly given him a standing ovation). Haire also struck a provision that would have made cities an easy target of litigation. Finally, right as Harrell and Tillis were ready to vote favorably on the bill, Haire motioned to send it to its next committee “without prejudice.” That means rather than kill or approve the bill, the committee could not agree on a vote. This does not bode well for the bill’s future as it enters its next round of committees with many questions unanswered.

Right before the end of the meeting some opponents did get to speak. Kevin Krufsky of Alcatel-Lucent spoke out against the bill. Also, Kelli Kukura of the N.C. League of Municipalities spoke out against it and then yielded her time to Mayor Kluttz and Wilson Mayor Bruce Rose. Rose gave an impassioned defense of Wilson’s network and cast the battle as it should be cast: as moneyed special interests thumbing their noses at North Carolina citizens. Kluttz and Rose both cited Raleigh’s just-passed opposition to the bill in their speeches, which caused a whisper among some committee members.

It was quite an education for me to see what kind of lock the corporate lobbyists still have on our state representatives, where money apparently makes them blind to doing the right thing. It certainly made the idea of running for office less appealing to me. I don’t think I’m quite ready to sell my soul.

The bill now appears before the House Public Utilities Committee Wednesday morning at 10, where I hope it will be finally finished off. Please contact the committee members and urge them to oppose it! The digital future of North Carolinians is at stake.