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June 12, 2013 at 4:48 pm #607872
BreezyParticipantI think if you are not aware of this, you should be. An envelope was dropped on my porch yesterday that contains the ‘great’ news that we, the taxpayers of America, are now funding free W-Fi to the residents of High Point. Let’s do a rundown: cheap housing (some rents as low as $50), discounted utilities, discounted/free food, landscapers, and so much more and now, free Wi-Fi, something the rest of us budget for and pay for.
This is being funded by the “generous support from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act”, this “free service is provided by the non-profit, One Economy.” The mousepad included in the envelope has AT&T printed on it, so it is probably a safe assumption their stockholders are profiting from this venture in some way.
I am mad. Our country’s pockets are only so deep…So, if you want to cancel your Internet and come use the Wi-Fi that you and I are so generously providing for all of these residents (many of whom are not U.S. citizens), come park in the neighborhood! BTW, for those who haven’t followed any of my previous posts, we are renting (16 days left!) from a homeowner, paying full price, and are closing on a home. It couldn’t happen soon enough.
June 12, 2013 at 5:04 pm #791710
EdSaneParticipantWho cares if they are citizens or not they also pay into the system. I pay far too much for the service Comcast offers compared to other countries. Yay private enterprise right? I doubt w/e bandwidth they are offering will really compare to what you find on the private market. One last thing, supporting those who need a helping hand isn’t generous. It is the right thing to do.
June 12, 2013 at 5:10 pm #791711
BreezyParticipantEdSane, I absolutely support those who need a helping hand! I am an active volunteer at the local NH, working with second-language adults and children, as well as volunteering in several other areas. Internet is available for all at each public library. There are free Internet use classes already available at NH, as well as a mobile Internet lab, complete with teachers and helpers. What I am angry about is a system that is set up in such a manner that one has to ask, why would anyone leave? Give people the support they need to be able to get up and get out on their own.
June 12, 2013 at 5:19 pm #791712
F16CrewChiefMemberMcDonalds and Starbucks has free WiFi,so does Barnes and Noble? Being I’m not the treasurer of the High Point Association, I’m going to take a wild guess that maybe, JUST MAYBE, the very residence of High Point actually do pay for that “Free WiFi” by what ever rent or investment they make to live in that community. I assume a portion of what they pay is set aside for that “Free WiFi”. But hey, if folks want to believe that people is Wichita Falls, Tx are having some of their taxes used for “Free Wifi” on residence in High Point, West Seattle, be my guest. Strap on those tin-foil hats! Yee hah!
June 12, 2013 at 5:28 pm #791713
miwsParticipantSo, making it easier for those with already limited resources, to be able to do job searches, fill out online job applications, and maybe take an online educational course is a bad thing?
Mike
June 12, 2013 at 5:29 pm #791714
F16CrewChiefMemberBut in a day and age where internet has become more of a necessity for looking for work, buying homes, communicating, I truly believe there should be a readily available free signal for everyone. Much like T.V. and your local channels that cost you nothing in a monthly form of a payment, other than your power bill, the internet too should be available to all. Maybe in a scaled down version, but nonetheless available to all. So if a couple non-profit orgs. or if the housing association made the call, I could care less. Folks need internet nowadays.
June 12, 2013 at 5:46 pm #791715
JanSParticipantGoing back to the OP…50 bucks for rent? where? If there’s a way to just pay $50 for rent, I want in on it, so details, please.free food? where? the food bank? the stuff they grow?
And I have a feeling that the “landscaping” benefits everyone in the HP area.
As a taxpayer, I pay for many things that I may not agree with. Always have. In my opinion, this “perk” is smart. As a person in HP themselves, I’m betting the OP could take advantage of it.
June 12, 2013 at 5:47 pm #791716
miwsParticipantThanks for bringing that up, F16.
I actually planned to say that, as I was reading about this, but ended up, for whatever reason, making my comment a bit more concise.
I’m sure a century ago, or maybe even a few more decades more recent to now, there were probably many folks that thought that a telephone was a “luxury” that those on limited means should not be allowed easier access to.
Mike
June 12, 2013 at 5:56 pm #791717
BreezyParticipantThe $50 rent came directly from the man who oversees the HP renters program. I assume he knows his stuff, but I could be wrong.
Because I had never heard of one-economy.com I looked them up and there’s a lot of good reading and more details about where their funding comes from.
June 12, 2013 at 6:04 pm #791718
F16CrewChiefMemberMike, telephone is a great example too. I coach soccer and I have a kid on my team who doesn’t live in High Point, but their family can’t afford internet. Single mom that works, two kids in school, and the kids want to play sports instead of run the streets. To sign up for the West Seattle Soccer Club, you have to register online. The mother was resourceful and took advantage of the library to sign up her child. Not a huge inconvenience for her, but an inconvenience nonetheless. Especially considering the libraries can’t support the amount of people that go there to use their computers now. And we all know, there are folks that don’t want their taxes going to libraries either.
I remember going to the food bank at the old Jefferson school. I remember standing in line at the food bank on California by Sub Shop, and having my mom turned away because she made $15 more than what was allowed to qualify. Then having to go home to a house with no electricity. My mom tried to work. She went to the casual hall every morning, and cried a lot. It hurts to see people get all bent out of shape over others getting help. But it also makes me happy to see people like yourself Mike defend the same things as myself.
June 12, 2013 at 6:24 pm #791719
trickycooljParticipantI believe High Point is supposed to be covered in the wifi area of the new Seattle Gigabit Internet movement. But thanks for bringing it to my attention because I grabbed the neighborhood newspaper and tossed it on my desk to read later wondering why it was so thick this time. I will take a closer look when I get home this evening.
Also, even though you rent from a HP homeowner I would have suggested you attend the HOA/OSA meetings so you would have a better understanding of the concept of the neighborhood and you can even talk directly to SHA representatives instead of getting off-handed information. So I hope if this home you’re closing on is in High Point you start to better understand the community you’re about to join, and if you’re not permanently joining the High Point community, I would be pleased if you didn’t disparage the efforts of the community and it’s concept. High Point has come a VERY long ways from what it used to be.
June 12, 2013 at 7:24 pm #791720
miwsParticipantF16, thanks for sharing your thoughts, and especially your, and your family’s past experience.
June 12, 2013 at 9:59 pm #791721
JustSarahParticipantHmm, wonder if I can pick up this free wi-fi at my house a few blocks west of HP. ;) (Just trying to lighten the mood!)
June 12, 2013 at 10:07 pm #791722
JanSParticipantwell, Sarah…it’s like air…if the wind is blowing just right, maybe :)
June 13, 2013 at 12:23 am #791723
trickycooljParticipantHere’s more detailed information directly from Seattle Housing Authority. Looks like it was a federal stimulus grant (ARRA) that was granted in 2010… took long enough to get it implemented. Internet will be free for 2 years and then subsequently $10 per month for families that choose to continue.
http://www.seattlehousing.org/news/releases/2010/one-economy-grant/
I still haven’t seen the provided network on any of my wireless devices, but I am also not an SHA resident so I doubt I’d even be eligible which makes me wonder why they passed out the packets to all homes and not just those of the SHA renters.
June 13, 2013 at 4:36 pm #791724
JoBParticipantBreezy..
according to a statistic i saw this morning, our tax dollars subsidize the bottom line of American Corporations to the tune of $180 billion a year…
and you are worried about tax dollars that actually benefit low income citizens?
just an FYI..
have you ever actually considered how low a person’s income would have to be to get a monthly subsidized rent of $50?
I believe the basic formula is 1/3 of income.
i am sure there is a base line there somewhere that allows someone with an income over $150.00 to pay $50…
but it sure isn’t very high since i know someone whose subsided rent in in the $200 range… and their income about 3 times that.
I am told that some of the senior subsidized living arrangements have found a way around that 1/3 limitation and are charging some 50% of incomes under $1000.
you might want to think about that as you move away from your expensive high point rental into the home of your dreams….
June 13, 2013 at 4:37 pm #791725
JoBParticipantlow speed comcast internet is already supposed to be available to those with very limited incomes for $10 a month…
unfortunately, you have to have the patience of Job to use it…
that’s Job, not JoB. She doesn’t have that much patience.
June 14, 2013 at 2:16 am #791726
EdSaneParticipant@JoB, I’ve also heard of the 1/3 ratio for low income housing. I honestly think some here (me included), have a hard time wrapping our collective heads around the idea that many people in America live off in a month what a lot of us make in a week (if not less). Which is why I don’t really question how much we give the poor. The wealthy are doing way better then they ever should (in comparison). Especially Wall Street.
June 14, 2013 at 2:28 am #791727
JoBParticipantEdSane..
some people live for an entire month on what others spend for a special occasion dinner out…
it’s difficult to believe that is possible.. but it is.
June 16, 2013 at 5:39 am #791728
LolaluvsmeMemberI have been a resident of High Point for 3 1/2 years as well as a taxpayer & an United States citizen. Has the High Point WiFi tried taking over when my Comcast that I pay full price for is fast asleep? Yes. Are there homeowners, low income, reg income, & people on section 8 in High Point? Yes. The fact that some might need more help than others is certain, but to be high and mighty about it?Where their help comes from is another story, where is your humanity? Someone posted the link which I had read before seeing Breezy’s forum with the outrage on how their monies where being spent; otherwise I’d include it. Now landscapers we hardly see nor do I pay anything directly towards either ( good thing too since it’s not a job done well) my mother while still alive made less than $500 a month and was able to get the less than $100 for rent but then there was gas,electric, & water on top which didn’t leave much for anything else. On closing about a month ago 2 men were installing the WiFi devices on nearby homes, left packaging to blow into my yard, & I have yet to receive any information on the WiFi itself as people in outlying areas as Breezy have already gotten the rundown of all the info to have a witchhunt so townspeople grab your torches, it can’t possibly get any hotter.
June 16, 2013 at 2:22 pm #791729
JoBParticipantJune 16, 2013 at 4:00 pm #791730
LolaluvsmeMemberNo quite the opposite actually. Was trying to learn about the new WiFi so I Googled it I read the Aug 2010 article then paged back to see what else there was & I found this. I’m pretty disappointed in people who obviously don’t know anything about the High Point community & how different it is from 5-20yrs ago since I grew up here as well. The start of this thread was a huge attack over what? WiFi? So no don’t actually attack my neighbors most of them I like.
June 16, 2013 at 6:57 pm #791731
JoBParticipantJune 16, 2013 at 7:36 pm #791732
kgdlgParticipantIn public housing or with a section 8 voucher a family pays one third its income to rent. Because this housing is predominantly reserved for seniors, disabled or the very low income working poor, it is not crazy to imagine someone paying 50 or 100 bucks a month. Many seniors live on 700 a month SSI. You try living in Seattle on that, including rent!!! You can’t even find a studio or shared house for that anymore in the martlet. Min wage at 40 hours a week is barely 400 bucks, before taxes. That person would likely pay 300 a month or so on a voucher leaving the other 900 for food, utilities, clothing, etc. again, very difficult to do in today’s seattle.
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