Ago

Honorable Jeff Morris State Representative, 40th District P.O. Box 40600 Olympia, WA 98504-0600

Dear Representative Morris,

By letter previously acknowledged, you have requested an opinion on the following paraphrased question:

Do cities, towns, and counties have the authority to provide telecommunications services to their residents?

Specifically, you ask for a review and an update to AGO 53-55 No. 273, which concluded that a city was not authorized to own or operate a telephone system.1

BRIEF ANSWER

The answer to your question depends on the extent to which a municipal government may exercise…