rukiddingme,

I guess my post was not clear. I am not detracting from what is downtown I am just stating that the businesses that are currently downtown will not benefit from WiFi directly (most of them use other internet services). I was further stating, in my opinion, that the offer of free WiFi would not "lure" other businesses to locate downtown.

Even if the cost is "only" $5,000 initially it is still a cost that in my mind is not something tax payers should be burdened with. There are far more important places this $5,000 could be used like building more covered stops for the transit routes. If citizens want WiFi in the downtown area they can frequent businesses like the coffee shop that are already providing it (again this is an assupmtion based on my seeing laptop users with WiFi cards sitting in the shop). The WiFi user gets what they want and the business that provides it gets a potential customer.

Sorry I was not more clear on the original post.

Regarding the comments about nothing being downtown, yes there are several banks, government offices, lawyers and several eating establishments, etc.. For the most part these people are not going to use an open WiFi network as their business needs require secure communications. WiFi is designed for the casual user, not a business network.

As to WiFi bringing more business downtown, I am not sure this is obtainable result. Internet connectivity for business purposes is much different then "free" WiFi for surfing the net. Businesses need dependable bandwidth and if a business operation could justify relocating downtown just for free WiFi I am afraid they are much too close to failing before they even get started.

I believe Long Leaf Cafe offers WiFI (and others may but I do not frequent the downtown area very often) as I have seen several people sitting in their cafe using a laptop. Will the city's proposed WiFi bring more people into Long Leaf (just an example as I have no ties to this business), where they actually spend dollars, or would it take customers away from them and push them out to Deleon Plaza?

I own a retail business that was located downtown (and had been for 10-12 years), purchased it in 2003 and by January 2004 made the determination that to remain in business I had to relocate to an area that had more potential customers. With limited space, limited parking and the lack of substantial traffic in to the area the only businesses I see that can survive there are the ones that are supported by the banks, government offices, lawyers, etc.

WiFi may be a great idea but I don't see it as creating a more appealing business environment and I definately don't believe it should be a priority in our current economic climate, regardless of cost.

RU, I think probably more like 68. I went to school with him & I think even though he was in my grade, he was older by a year or so, which surprised me. I am also curious why he was brought up.

RU,

My computer is messed up, too. Here is what my screen had printed on it-- (I copied and pasted as to not make a mistake)

"BIGJ
Downtown Victoria? There's nothing in downtown Victoria.
July 10, 2009 at 4:28 p.m."

good lord fix the photo so we can all see it! you know... tweak the pixels so it doesn't look like a 320X240 picture trying to stretch to the size of 640X480!

He's older than that.

If it's who I'm thinking of...I went to school with him.

Yes.....why?

Does anyone remember Rock N Roll Ricki from the skating rink years ago?

Oh Pepper will be just fine, he could care less what people on this forum say, he just wants $2 or a smoke, totally harmless.

RU...thanks for the info. I really didn't know anything of him except things you hear. He just seemed like a strange character walking and talking to himself but also seems somewhat content.

Hi justamom! I'm hoping BigJ will explain as I really am curious. Maybe a little more insight into some of his postings. But I don't expect it.

Does Pepper really use the computer at the library? I have always thought he just walked all day and never imagined him sitting at a computer? Or were you just kidding? I'm hearing more and more stories about him and it seems that at one time he might have had his act together?

Loveourmilitary- Bigj's refrences all come from fictional movies. Quotes, pictures you name it. He is living in a movie which has no part for him to play. Awwwwww :) I happen to like Downtown Victoria. For the younger crowd, the internet would be a good thing. It would help the businesses a great deal. I would like to see any help to the mom and pop shops downtown, sweet people.

finally pepper can go somewhere else other than the library!

BigJ................this is a little off the subject but could I ask what your picture is suppose to mean?

Taxes pay for everything.

Yes, the city should constantly be searching for areas to eliminate unnecessary expense or do things more efficiently; but also work to increase the tax base. The city needs to expand its tax revenue. I’m not saying that this is the best idea on how to do it, but it takes money to make money.

While I support Police and Firefighters efforts to better their lives and that of their families, to do it the right way we all know that requires increasing the tax revenue.

If the city goes ahead and implements free wireless Internet; then it should be with the explicit purpose of increasing tax revenue from online commerce locally.

Every tax dollar is a part of someone’s life spent to earn it, the least that the city could do is use that dollar to make more elsewhere; lessening that taxpayers burden and raising the pay of city workers the right way.

The need of city workers keeps rising; fighting over a shrinking budget serves only to undermine our solidarity and diminishes our cause. We need to work together; the city provides incentive for online commerce locally, online businesses increase the tax base, and then “every city worker” benefits.

I’ve always believed that “united we are stronger” and that “problems only exist to be solved”.

This is all I have to say on this, everyone have a nice day.

I truly wish our elected officials would go get a bucket and start filling it one drop at a time. It takes every drop you put in to fill the bucket. A "drop" of money regardless of $5K or $245K is real money. The only way you can not overfill a bucket, or in this context overspend tax payer money, is to limit the number of "drops" that go in.

City Council of Victoria, PLEASE find areas to cut expenditures and stop finding new places to spend our dollars. I don't believe WiFi for downtown is necessary and these funds can be invested in other more critical areas like pay increases for Police and Firefighters.

I SNATCHED THIS FROM JEFFWILLIAM'S COMMENT and AMEN! What the heck City Council? We have other important issues on the table without adding more! Ridiculous idea.

Mike, Exactly.

The city must be able to first financially incur the expense and then provide ongoing viability through increased tax revenue from online commerce resulting from this action.

The most cost effective approach is implementation in sections, beginning first in areas of town with the greatest potential for increasing online commerce.

1. Determine areas of online commerce in Victoria.
2. Divide up the city into sections around concentrated centers of online commerce.
3. Set a timetable to determine viability for each area.
4. Begin offering service in the highest potential area.
5. When time runs out for each area determine whether to continue offering service in that area based on viability.
6. Move on to the next area.

In the end either one hundred percent of Victoria or sections of Victoria will have free wireless Internet service that is financially self-sufficient, or it will be proven that Victoria is not ready for free wireless Internet service.

I think that is reasonable and fair for all Victoria citizens. This would free up money from both large and small businesses to reinvest in the community.

Of course I’m not on the City Council.

If Victoria can afford it, I believe it is a great idea but make it the steppingstone to increase area coverage….. It’s hard not to get a WI-FI signal in Seattle Washington… Austin, Texas is really increasing their effort for citywide coverage. Philadelphia had trouble with their provider (EarthLink) in their citywide coverage but another provider took its place…Problems ,you bet but that does not mean they cannot be worked out.

Maybe the city should call a meeting of citizens interested in doing that fatboy. I'm sure anything that is more all-inclusive, reduces cost to citizens, and affords them greater opportunity is of interest to the city.

Bottom line.

Online commerce tax revenue from city provided free wireless Internet service must be substantially greater than the expense; this should make common sense to anyone.

City government has a duty to use public funds for the common good. Online merchants like eBayer’s, bring in money to the community. Wireless Internet service makes phone calls cheaper and creates opportunity for young artist to market their clothing or online shows. If the talented and industrious people of Victoria were to take free wireless Internet service to heart, the next big Internet start up could come from Victoria, Tx.

pilot.. the technology is there to bridge or repeat signal...todays antennas are tiny and effective. someone will do it and we all will follow...i see a neighborhood grouping together to get signal...the isp contracts are with the city --not me...if i am given a way , heck yea I want to say $45/month for internet.

I can pay some retired person downtown to put up an antenna and I get his signal...its possible you know...see below

http://www.radiolabs.com/products/wir...

put in repeater towers near heavily populated neighborhoods so all can get it. just need to use some of that "free money" and all will be happier.

And really beside the entire point...if you are going to have a picture with an article, at least have a picture you can see! This one is worse than useless.

But I do agree with all the "drops in the bucket." If we have all these "drops," add them all up and either fix the things that need fixing (Sam Houston comes to mind first) or lower property taxes and water rates.

A penny saved is a penny earned....

But actually, I'd like to see free WiFi all over Victoria. Now wouldn't that draw people and business here!!

We could be like St. Cloud, Florida.
http://www.wired.com/special_multimed...

come on Truman get real , let's fix the lousy streets in this town. even better yet lower our tax rates or water rates. we have some of the highest rates in the state. do something worth while.

Forget it, rents probably going to be too high downtown anyway. Anyway, In the long run it probably would be better to build on a couple of acres outside the city limits to avoid controversy and save money.

"Truman believes that for about $5,000..."When you're dealing with city budgets, that's a drop in the bucket to have something like that," he said.

This sounds exactly like a debate I heard on CSPAN yesterdary regarding an amendment to REMOVE earmarks from a [federal] bill that was being passed. One legislature (opposing the amendment) commented the earmark "was only $245,000" which is "a drop in the bucket" in a trillion plus dollar budget.

I truly wish our elected officials would go get a bucket and start filling it one drop at a time. It takes every drop you put in to fill the bucket. A "drop" of money regardless of $5K or $245K is real money. The only way you can not overfill a bucket, or in this context overspend tax payer money, is to limit the number of "drops" that go in.

City Council of Victoria, PLEASE find areas to cut expenditures and stop finding new places to spend our dollars. I don't believe WiFi for downtown is necessary and these funds can be invested in other more critical areas like pay increases for Police and Firefighters.

I happen to like suddenlink. Anyway, I think this would be a good idea, the only problem with this is I really don't need to go anywhere to have internet. I have it at home. People can get free internet already at these locations: Hastings, Burger King, Starbucks, The Public Library, The Mall; I mean what's the point? Half the time people who have laptops don't understand the concept of a secure wireless connection and they end up with an open internet connection for neighbors to mooch off of at all hours of the day, so internet is not hard to find. I do think more businesses should look into what the downtown area can offer though. I love being downtown, especially in the fall/winter times. So many memories.

I think this is a waste of time, effort, and money. If this should be anywhere, and it may already be, it should be on campus at UHV. I understand the new city councilman wanting to make a mark, but do something constructive for the city, not a "hey that would be neat" idea.

"My idea is just to get people and businesses to come downtown," Truman said. "People would be able to go down there and enjoy service while they're enjoying a beautiful evening."

Man I love this!! Now all of our businesses who cannot afford to have luxuries like the internet and email can all gather downtown and work in the evenings!! FOR FREE!!!

I also STRONGLY urge city council to follow up on victoriaconcernedcitizen's suggestion of a puffy cloud machine!! I am a convert....HOPE!!! CHANGE!!! Rainbow generator?! Please tell me this is just another "drop in the bucket" to!! It's just money anyway!

And yes, John123, suddenlink is not that good. We get dropped all the time. Maybe instead of free internet downtown where no one will use it, the city council can subsidize free internet service for everyone in town! Just send your bills in to city council and they will find the drop in the bucket to pay for it.

I'm an Ebayer too. How in the world can that help? Now I feel like I'm not good enough because people downtown get free internet, but I have to pay for mine. Can I yell "It's not fair"? What makes downtown so much more important?

Fix Laurent, Sam Houston, ....... Downtown is so small compared to Victoria. Get out of your little square and look around.

Actually, free wireless Internet offers an advantage to attract online business. Let me state that I have personal reasons for supporting this initiative I’m an eBayer.

This service would have the potential to attract online merchants downtown. This reduces the cost to create ebay data processing centers, provided lease agreements do not rise disproportionately. The cost to the city would be offset by job creation.

Again my opinion is prejudicial, I’m an eBayer.

This is getting out of control. What's next for downtown, bring in more birds and flowers? Puffy cloud machines? Rainbow generators? Come on City Council, how about improve the traffic flow on Navarro in front of the Mall area where you have about twenty traffic lights!!

Why can't you get it? STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY! I can't believe how ridiculous this sounds. Wireless Internet, for downtown. Who can use it? The few people that are downtown and can afford a laptop and have the time to sit in a square. Let's recap: spend money on stained concrete sidewalks for downtown, spend money on wireless internet for downtown, spend money($72,000) with an outsided vendor to come up with a ridiculous campaign. Where does it end? Fix the streets, save the money, or at least do something that all of Victoria could enjoy. Wireless internet? C'mon!

suddenlink was an expensive deal for me! had it for one month before I got satellite! dsl with phone company is the best connection because it's my line only!

Not me...I have no complaints with Suddenlink

Ok I'm going a little off topic or maybe way off but is anyone else sick of suddenlink?

Hopefully AT&T u- verse will be here soon.