NC Muni Expansion Ban at Risk as Gov. McCrory Concedes Election

concession Monday in a YouTube video. Muni broadband advocates have said Cooper would be more likely than McCrory to change the 2011 state law that was challenged by the FCC but upheld by the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals (see 1611090024). The law bans cities from expanding government-run broadband outside their municipal boundaries. During the gubernatorial race, the small town of Pinetops reached out to Cooper after learning it might lose fiber broadband service due to the court decision (see 1609270035). While changing the law also will require support by the GOP-controlled state legislature, two Republican state legislators in October pledged to sponsor community broadband legislation when the General Assembly reconvenes Jan. 11. McCrory "had very little respect for local autonomy, frequently pushing to overrule it from Raleigh," Institute for Local Self-Reliance Community Broadband Networks Initiative Director Christopher Mitchell emailed Monday. "I think Cooper will be more interested in returning some authority to local governments rather than micro-managing from afar in matters of Internet access." Community broadband advocates will still have to win against big telephone and cable companies that are likely to defend the law, he said.