Blog For Arizona

Good Sign, Wrong Place

It is always good to see government thinking ahead and staying current with what constituents want. In this case they want free wireless internet broadband. Tempe's first system, at the downtown Tempe Beach Park, has just come online. Where is Tucson's? Where is the proposal for Tucson's roll-out of hot spots? There are many areas that the private sector cannot economically serve where wireless would none-the-less enhance learning, productivity, convenience, commerce, and quality of life.

Tempe's achievement comes as a partnership between ASU and Tempe. Arizona State University President Michael Crow proclaimed that this is a step toward making Tempe a leading "knowledge" city, calling it, "a place where living, learning and working can go on anywhere at anytime and at any location without any hindrance or encumbrance."

Republican Hugh Hallman, who is partnering with Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon to try to pass a tax bribe moritorium, deserves credit for understanding the importance of ASU and the knowledge economy to his community's future. It's obvious to most that UofA is central to Tucson's future growth and prosperity; even Mayor Cheerleader gets that much. Our task as progressives is to lay out a compelling vision of what to do about it.

posted by Michael Bryan @ 1/11/2005 05:51:00 PM