>- local, high paying jobs across the board (linemen, network engineers) As opposed to linemen telecommuting from the other side of the country? >- money kept

>- local, high paying jobs across the board (linemen, network engineers) As opposed to linemen telecommuting from the other side of the country? >- money kept locally within the economy rather than used to fund a C-level executives jet fuel costs True, although this could turn out to a wash. There's operational efficiencies that can be obtained by a national company (billing system, support, etc.) that city-scale ISPs can't achieve. >- strong motivation to improve the network and make it resilient The city has "strong motivation" to do a lot of things, but based on how universal complaints about city services are across the country (from potholes to clearing homeless encampments), I don't think it's a slam dunk argument you think it is.