Municipal broadband less expensive than expected

Mark Matassa Jun 29, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

Republish Article

You can republish articles in print or online. Simply copy the HTML below, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline, and credit to Cascade PBS. Republishing of the photos or videos embedded in an article can occur only if the photo or video is a copyright of Cascade Public Media ("CPM") and not of a third party. Photos and videos that are a copyright of CPM are not required to appear in the republished article, but if they are used, they must be embedded where they appear in the original article and must include the attribution to the CPM photographer.

You may reprint in any medium
You may edit only for tense and timeliness
If republishing in print you can edit for length if you follow our print republishing guidelines.
You may write your own headline
Include a byline and shirttail with credit and link to Cascade PBS
Include our tracking pixel
Remove if we ask

          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>Municipal broadband less expensive than expected</h1>
                <h2><p>When former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn proposed exploring a city-run Internet service, the idea was welcomed but the price tag was not. Now, new estimates show the cost would be less than previously thought — about $480 million to $665 million. But his successor, Mayor Ed Murray, says it may still</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/mmatassa-mac-com/">Mark Matassa</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>When former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn proposed exploring a city-run Internet service, the idea was welcomed but the price tag was not. Now, new estimates show the cost would be less than previously thought — about $480 million to $665 million. But his successor, Mayor Ed Murray, says it <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/cost-of-municipal-broadband-for-seattle-less-than-estimated/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">may still be prohibitive</a> without a private partner or a voter-approved levy. <em>The Seattle Times</em> has the details.</p>
          </article>

When former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn proposed exploring a city-run Internet service, the idea was welcomed but the price tag was not. Now, new estimates show the cost would be less than previously thought — about $480 million to $665 million. But his successor, Mayor Ed Murray, says it may still be prohibitive without a private partner or a voter-approved levy. The Seattle Times has the details.

Our members' donations make local journalism happen.

Support once for $1

Support monthly for $7

Cascade PBS Passport
Mossback members-only newsletter
Monthly Viewer Guide

Support monthly for $25

Invitation to quarterly news and original programming video conference
Annual in-person meet-up with news & programming teams
Special event perks (reduced price or free tickets, cocktails, etc.)

Continue