Clarke Will Write To Verizon
FLATBUSH – Congresswoman Yvette Clarke held a telephone town hall on Monday where a telecommunication company’s big push for fiber optics became a priority.
After staving off a primary candidate, the U.S. Representative held her first town hall for constituents in the 9th congressional district serving most of Brooklyn. Clarke opened the phone forum with a speech on immigration, the Mueller investigation and the impending appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, calling President Trump “reckless”.
“These midterm elections are everything,” said Clarke. “We have got to come out in record numbers and flip the house of representatives.”
But the tone changed early on beginning with the first caller.
Michael from Brooklyn asked Clarke to contact Verizon requesting the telecommunications company replace fiber optics with an alternative material that allows landlines to work during a blackout or city-wide cyber attack.
“Have Verizon change back to anyone they’ve screwed over with fiber optics,” said the caller.
For several years, Verizon has been converting their clients from copper wiring to fiber optic cables. Fiber optic cables provide faster service for data customers, however, the infrastructure does not transmit electricity making landline signals impossible in the event of blackout.
New York City has undergone two major blackouts, the most recent in 2003 when the Northeast and Midwest corridors experienced a 7-hour blackout impacting 45 million people in the U.S.
A second caller from Park Slope chimed in on the issue, noting that Verizon forced her to change to fiber optics against her wishes.
Clarke promised to scribe a letter to Verizon about a replacement or deployment for service in the event of a city or nation-wide emergency. The congresswoman said she will post the response on her website. The Congresswoman sits on the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
In addition to corroborating the fear people expressed about FIOS, Gregory, a former Verizon employee complained about the rise in property taxes. He complained the tax cuts he received for installing solar panels were null and void because his property taxes had increased more than $1000.
“The state and local deduction was stripped away from our tax code, and as a result, we are seeing the escalation of property taxes across the state,” said Clarke before she encouraged callers to make their voices heard during the November midterms.
“It was viewed to target the states who did not support the current occupant of the White House,” she added.
Other topics included Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson’s decision to reduce funding to low-income Americans and the threat of a cyber-breach in the upcoming election. It was a 94-year-old constituent who what would happen after the Mueller’s investigation in concluded.
It was a 94-year-old constituent who what would happen after the Mueller’s investigation is concluded.
“I have never in all my years seen any President act like this,” said the caller.
To which Clarke directed callers to an op-ed she wrote in the Washington Times highlighting her concerns over the inactivity of the Republican-led Senate.