Hello!
It seems that the state's peculiar property tax rule -- stemming from central assessment -- has indeed stalled Google Fiber in the Portland Metro area. According to the WSJ's article on Google Fiber's upcoming expansion announcement:
"In the Portland area, Oregon tax-assessment rules are delaying a decision by Google to expand its Fiber service there, according to a person familiar with the situation. ... It isn't clear if this approach would apply to Google, and the state legislature is planning to tackle the issue in coming months. However, it has created uncertainty for the company, the person said."
As a resident long hoping for competition, I am extremely disappointed, not just because the uncertainty has created a delay in competition locally, but that the state legislature has known since October's Oregon Supreme Court ruling that this would create a stumbling block for Google Fiber, and has not yet rectified this.
We don't have the luxury of months to figure this out. If Google Fiber construction is to move forward, we (meaning the state legislature) must be moving in weeks not months, don't you agree? That is to say, when Google has passed over potential fiberhoods that have failed to meet minimum signups, those neighborhoods have been placed on the backburner as construction has moved forward with others. Think about all those people who will miss out on Google Fiber's free connection offer, and the others who would have otherwise signed up for their free, 5Mbps connections. If we get passed over, who will voters blame?
Sincerely,
A very concerned voter and resident.
It seems that the state's peculiar property tax rule -- stemming from central assessment -- has indeed stalled Google Fiber in the Portland Metro area. According to the WSJ's article on Google Fiber's upcoming expansion announcement:
"In the Portland area, Oregon tax-assessment rules are delaying a decision by Google to expand its Fiber service there, according to a person familiar with the situation. ... It isn't clear if this approach would apply to Google, and the state legislature is planning to tackle the issue in coming months. However, it has created uncertainty for the company, the person said."
As a resident long hoping for competition, I am extremely disappointed, not just because the uncertainty has created a delay in competition locally, but that the state legislature has known since October's Oregon Supreme Court ruling that this would create a stumbling block for Google Fiber, and has not yet rectified this.
We don't have the luxury of months to figure this out. If Google Fiber construction is to move forward, we (meaning the state legislature) must be moving in weeks not months, don't you agree? That is to say, when Google has passed over potential fiberhoods that have failed to meet minimum signups, those neighborhoods have been placed on the backburner as construction has moved forward with others. Think about all those people who will miss out on Google Fiber's free connection offer, and the others who would have otherwise signed up for their free, 5Mbps connections. If we get passed over, who will voters blame?
Sincerely,
A very concerned voter and resident.
Feel free to copy and paste it in your own email / letter to your state senator, to register your frustration that their sloth-like speed has placed a Google Fiber rollout in the Portland Metro area in jeopardy.
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