[brentsch]

One of the linked articles [1] describes the arguments in favor of pro-ISP restrictions as concerns that municipal broadband would either be a waste of taxpayer money or an "unfair" threat to private-sector ISPs: "'The general rhetoric behind these laws, from the incumbents, is that cities are too incompetent to run their own networks, so it's a risk to taxpayers,' Craig Settles, a broadband consultant who works with cities to create municipal networks told me. 'But then, the other side of it is that cities are so competent that they represent unfair competition.'"

Is this a relatively accurate and complete characterization?

[1] https://www.vice.com/en/article/qkvn4x/the-21-laws-states-us...

[biggermike]

Not as contradictory as the speaker is making it out to be. The organization can be poorly managed but still price out competition via a state subsidized business model that would be unsustainable for anyone else.