I talk to a lot of people in Northampton, Florence and Leeds, and I have yet to meet anybody in our community who loves our big corporate internet service provider so much that they wouldn’t consider an alternative for broadband internet service.

Fortunately, in this year’s municipal election we have an opportunity to take a major step toward giving ourselves an alternative.

Please vote “yes” on Question 1, so Northampton can have the possibility of building our own municipal broadband network.

On the other side of your ballot from your choices for mayor, city council and other municipal offices, you will be asked whether you support or oppose Question 1. The wording of the ballot question includes that “Question 1 would authorize but not require the city to establish a municipal light plant, which is a city-owned company that can provide utilities services including telecommunications systems. The municipal light plant, if approved, would be able to provide internet to businesses and households in the city.”

As I have been door knocking throughout our community, I have heard some concern about the term “municipal light plant” (MLP). I never leave a door without making sure I explain what an MLP is, and answer all questions the constituent might have. I get it. A light plant sounds like something out of a science fiction book, or worse, a huge power plant plunked down in the middle of our city.

That is not what this ballot measure is authorizing. An MLP is not a physical structure, but a legal framework required by the commonwealth for the city to be able to create a public utility.

The public utility under consideration is a municipally owned broadband internet network. Your vote on Question 1 does not automatically greenlight the creation of such a network. By approving the ballot question we would just be giving ourselves the ability to have a city-owned public utility company which can be used to provide internet service.

I think this is an important and exciting step forward for Northampton. Municipal broadband has the potential to grow our commercial development while also reducing inequities for residents. Instead of a corporate monopoly, which has the incentive to maximize profit with poor service, high fees and slower speeds, a community-run public utility is incentivized to provide fast, reliable service with affordable fees.

The pandemic has made clear that internet access is a crucial utility for everyone. This is a tremendous opportunity to provide access to all residents of Northampton and create a system that is equitable and ensures that no one is left behind.

Municipal broadband is also an important economic development tool. It will help existing businesses stay competitive and local entrepreneurs to get new ideas off the ground. And it will help our city attract and keep businesses, as affordable and reliable broadband is a key feature employers look for when deciding where to set up shop.

Nearby communities like South Hadley, Plainfield, Greenfield and Westfield have already created networks that are providing much faster service for their businesses and residents. We must be careful not to fall behind.

If a majority of Northampton voters say “Yes” on Question 1, the community discussion around municipal broadband will just be beginning. The city has to complete a marketing and feasibility study. The results of the first phase of that effort will be presented at a virtual community meeting this Wednesday at 6 p.m. Please join us to participate at this link: https://tinyurl.com/a2euuuv6.

If the studies prove promising, many decisions would still have to be made around capital funding, infrastructure, consumer fees and governing structure. We will have ample opportunities as a community to discuss whether to build a municipal broadband network and how exactly to do it. But those discussions can’t move forward unless we vote “yes” on Question 1.

We all want Northampton to be more affordable, accessible, sustainable and equitable. Municipal broadband takes us one more step closer toward realizing that vision. If I am elected to be your mayor, I will do everything I can to lead a robust, public conversation about municipal broadband, so we can decide how best to proceed with maximum community input.

But regardless of who you support for mayor, I hope you will vote “Yes” on Question 1 so we can keep this important process moving forward.

Gina-Louise Sciarra is the Northampton City Council president, and a candidate for mayor.