Many thanks to Council Member Gale A. Brewer for gaining approval of this important commission. NYCw looks forward to participating as a independent voice on broadband issues in NYC.

http://muniwireless.com/municipal/watch/955

The New York City Council has moved one step closer to bringing more competition into the market for high-speed Internet access to city residents and businesses. On Wednesday, December 21, 2005, the Council voted to pass Intro 625-A, sponsored by Council Member Gale A. Brewer (D-Manhattan), the Chair of the Committee on Technology in Government. This piece of legislation passed the Committee on Technology in Government unanimously on Tuesday, December 20, 2005. Int. No. 625-A creates a joint public broadband commission to advise the Mayor and the City Council of New York on how the resources of City government can be used to stimulate the private market so that residents and businesses of New York City have more options in terms of high-speed Internet access. The goal of the commission is to educate the general public about broadband and the newest communication technologies, and to give New York City residents the opportunity to comment on how the digital divide in New York City can be closed.