It has come to my attention that one of my opponents is misleading delegates and others about my legislation that would create a nationwide wi-fi hotspot.   Since this is not the first, nor will it be the last time, my opponents are unable to tell the truth about my record, I wanted to clear it up before the lie could spread.  Here are the facts:

1. Frequency spectrum is owned and licensed by the FCC.  Radio hosts are on the radio because a company they work for bid on a portion of the frequency spectrum that their radio signal uses.  

2. My bill would require the FCC to auction off another portion of that spectrum.  The FCC currently holds spectrum and creates a virtual monopoly for established companies.

3. This auction would require private companies to bid and pay for the spectrum.  That means they have to pay the treasury to purchase those frequencies.

4. If they bid, part of the agreement will be that they will offer, for free, a low to mid-speed broadband system.  In order to make money (as google, yahoo, and others d0), they will sell advertising space (as companies like Xmission do) and they will offer a high speed service at a cost.  If that business model fails, someone else can buy that spectrum.

5. What it comes down to is this…the FCC, for better or worse, controls the frequency spectrum for many communications media in America.  Private companies can buy portions of that spectrum.  That is what is happening here.

I want to be crystal clear about one thing.  This bill, the auction, and the establishment of this wi-fi network will cost taxpayers ZERO DOLLARS.  There are companies that believe they can make money if given they are allowed to purchase this spectrum.  Anyone telling you that this bill will cost money, or is in some way a government subsidy for a private company is misrepresenting the facts or lying to you.  My record of being a faithful steward of the taxpayer’s money is unimpeachable and the false and misleading comments by some, just to get elected, insult the intelligence of the delegates and are flat out false.