Mayor Walsh signs letter to Congress in support of net neutrality protections

Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Ryan, and Leader Pelosi:

The decision by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to dismantle open Internet protections cannot stand. It represents a stark and unwarranted attack on our communities and residents. We, the undersigned municipalities representing 43 million constituents, write in support of the Resolution of Disapproval of the FCC's Order to repeal net neutrality rules.

As local leaders, we recognize the direct and substantial benefit that broadband connectivity and access to a free and open Internet can have for our residents. The cores of our communities – our economies, educational institutions and government agencies – increasingly rely on broadband connectivity. The transformative power of the internet drives economic growth, individual and community development, and better government for all of our residents. As more than 60 Mayors wrote to the FCC in July, “full repeal would have a particularly negative impact on middle- and working-class families, while simultaneously restricting access to certain types of online content and services to those who cannot afford to pay more.” Many of these concerns were shared and voiced in 13,000 pages of net neutrality complaints filed by millions of citizens and hundreds of community organizations and local leaders, which the FCC willfully ignored.

A free and open Internet forms the backbone of the twenty-first century economy. The FCC has thrown away the fundamental democratic principle of net neutrality. We strongly support the Congressional Review Act resolution to right this wrong by reversing the FCC's Order.

Sincerely,

Bill de Blasio, Mayor, City of New York, NY

Trish Herrera Spencer, Mayor, City of Alameda, CA

Allison Silberberg, Mayor, City of Alexandria, VA

Lee Kilbourn, Mayor, City of Auburn, MI

Steve Adler, Mayor, City of Austin, TX

Catherine E. Pugh, Mayor, City of Baltimore, MD

Jesse Arreguin, Mayor, City of Berkeley, CA

Lili Bosse, Mayor, City of Beverly Hills, CA

John Hamilton, Mayor, City of Bloomington, IN

Martin J. Walsh, Mayor, City of Boston, MA

Thomas Feldkamp, Mayor, City of Bow Mar, CO

Byron W. Brown, Mayor, Buffalo, NY

Jim Brainard, Mayor, City of Carmel, IN

Deborah Frank Feinen, Mayor, City of Champaign, IL

Rahm Emanuel, Mayor, City of Chicago, IL

Joel McAuliffe, City Councilor, City of Chicopee, MA

Mary Casillas Salas, Mayor, City of Chula Vista, CA

Andrew J. Ginther, Mayor, City of Columbus, OH

Jeffrey Cooper, Mayor, City of Culver City, CA

Steve Schewel, Mayor, City of Durham, NC

Laura Keegan, Mayor, City of Edgewater, CO

Lucy K. Vinis, Mayor, City of Eugene, OR

Peter Lindstrom, Mayor, City of Falcon Heights, MN

Daniel Dick, Mayor, City of Federal Heights, CO

Karen Freeman-Wilson, Mayor, City of Gary, IN

Donelly E. Boeder, Mayor, City of Gayord, MN

Patrick Taylor, Mayor, City of Highlands, NC

William McLeod, Mayor, Village of Hoffman Estates, IL

Derek Dobies, Mayor, City of Jackson, MI

Sly James, Mayor, City of Kansas City, MO

Christine Berg, Mayor, City of Lafayette, CO

Peter d’Errico, Chair of Select Board, Town of Leverett, MA

Warren Peterson, Mayor, City of Lilydale, MN

Chris Beutler, Mayor, City of Lincoln, NE

Debbie Brinkman, Mayor, City of Littleton, CO

Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles, CA

Paul Soglin, Mayor, City of Madison, WI

Barbara Coler, Chair, Marin Telecommunications JPA, Marin County, CA

James E. Darling, Mayor, City of McAllen, TX

Cynthia Adkins, Mayor, City of Medina, WA

Mark Gamba, Mayor, City of Milwaukie, OR

Jacob Frey, Mayor, City of Minneapolis, MN

Hans Riemer, Council President, Montgomery County, MD

Jennifer Gregerson, Mayor, City of Mukilteo, WA

David J. Narkewicz, Mayor, City of Northampton, MA

Sandra E. Frum, Village President, Village of Northbrook, IL

Carol Dodge, Mayor, City of Northglenn, CO

Libby Schaaf, Mayor, City of Oakland, CA

Buddy Dyer, Mayor, City of Orlando, FL

James Kenney, Mayor, Philadelphia, PA

Greg Stanton, Mayor, City of Phoenix, AZ

William Peduto, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, PA

Ted Wheeler, Mayor, City of Portland, OR

Norman Seney Jr., Mayor, Town of Putman, CT

Hillary L. Schieve, Mayor, City of Reno, NV

William R. Bailey III, Mayor, City of Riverside, CA

Ron Nirenberg, Mayor, City of San Antonio, TX

Mark Farrell, Mayor, City of San Francisco, CA

Sam Liccardo, Mayor, City of San Jose, CA

Pauline Russo Cutter, Mayor, City of San Leandro, CA

Zach Friend, Vice Chair, Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisor, Santa Cruz County, CA

Ted Winterer, Mayor, City of Santa Monica, CA

Meg Kelly, Mayor, City of Saratoga Springs, NY

Gary R. McCarthy, Mayor, City of Schenectady, NY

Tara Beiter-Fluhr, Mayor, City of Sheridan, CO

Matt Larson, Mayor, City of Snoqualmien WA

James Francis, Mayor, City of South St. Paul, MN

Domenic J. Sarno, Mayor, City of Springfield, MA

David R. Martin, Mayor, City of Stamford, CT

Richard Williams, Mayor, City of Sunfish Lake, MN

Andrew D. Gillum, Mayor, City of Tallahassee, FL

Heidi Williams, Mayor, City of Thornton, CO

Kent Keel, Mayor, City of University Place, WA

William D. Sessoms Jr., City of Virginia Beach, VA

Muriel Bowser, Mayor, Washington, District of Columbia

John Heilman, Mayor, City of West Hollywood, CA