Northstar's 20% problem It’s official: Northstar Commuter Rail’s first year of operations has been a complete bust. Metro Transit has confirmed that ridership is 20% lower than they projected. And even that figure is generous, given that it takes into account a number of “special event” trains Northstar operated for Twins games. Long story short, Northstar is a taxpayer’s …
Archives for December 2010
Washington's "Slap in the Face" to Rural Minnesota Town and Taxpayers
DC decision to pay double the rent and move into new offices angers local government counterparts who stay put and stand up for taxpayers McIntosh, MN—If you wonder how the federal government runs up trillion dollar budget deficits, folks in McIntosh say the glut of red ink starts with the way Washington does business on a daily basis in places like this rural town of 635 residents. “Everybody …
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MPR Commentary: When there's a private option, cities have no business offering broadband
A commentary piece by FFM Investigative Director Tom Steward was featured on MPR this morning. The article focuses on municipalities considering an investment into municipal telecom and the often overlooked risks. The article can be found below and on MPR's website. To learn more on FFM's research into municipal broadband networks, download our report on North St. Paul's PolarNet …