From Deseret News archives:
Provo lashes iProvo critics
City says report is 'fatally flawed,' lacks objectivity
Steven Titch said the 40 hours of work he did for Qwest didn't color his faultfinding analysis of iProvo, a fiber-optic telecommunications network that provides phone, Internet and digital cable TV services to Provo residents who subscribe.
Provo Mayor Lewis Billings vigorously attacked the report's objectivity on Thursday, when the city also released a 24-page "white paper" that called the report's research "fatally flawed" and based on "erroneous and unsubstantiated conclusions."
The white paper said the Reason Foundation's report was premature because it was based on financial numbers from June 2005, a year before construction of iProvo was completed. It also said Titch compared apples to oranges in the report's financial data.
The city's zealous response came three weeks after the Reason Foundation released Titch's 26-page critique of iProvo. Titch, a policy analyst at Reason, ripped iProvo, saying the city would never be able to pay off the project's $39.5 million bond.
Titch said a Chicago company called HLB Communications hired him to consult for Qwest "following a series of management and accounting scandals in 2000 and 2001." Titch reviewed materials for Qwest's Web site, customer letters, executive speeches and media and employee communications.
"In that job, I never worked with any Qwest officer or employee," Titch said.
Provo's white paper questioned Titch's objectivity after city employees read on a Web site that Titch's company worked "on a day-to-day basis with Qwest." Titch said the phrase was a mistake, and it was removed from the Web site Thursday afternoon.
Titch said the report was intended to take a side. Reason Foundation is a libertarian think tank that advocates privatization and smaller government.
"There's no denying we had a point of view and chose to highlight things so they'd stand out more than you'd get from someone who supports municipal broadband projects. My report stands out there as a part of the public policy debate."
That bothered Provo's chief administrative officer Wayne Parker.
Comments
- Aggies beat Spartans in snowy Logan 11:43 p.m.
- Jazz hope D-Will returns soon 11:40 p.m.
- 1A championship: Rich undefeated 11:34 p.m.
- 1A: Rich defense rises to occasion 11:31 p.m.
- Pacquiao stops Cotto to win 7th title 11:26 p.m.
- NFL Sunday 11:25 p.m.
- 9/11 trial - parable of right, wrong 11:24 p.m.
- Gitmo detaines headed to the U.S. 11:23 p.m.
- Utah Grizzlies win 11:19 p.m.
- Around the NFL 11:18 p.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
- Short-handed Jazz fly past Sixers
- D-Will home for daughter
- Bench proves fruitful for Y.
- Utes excited for 'dream' game
- Crash on snowy road kills woman
- Born of water and the spirit
- GameDay in Fort Worth
- BYU happy to escape with victory
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
358 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
200 - BYU happy to escape with victory
192 - Senators want food tax restored
165 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - TCU plows past Utes, 55-28
121 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
113
If you are looking for a bird on the cheap, the following specials from...
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
Wow. Nice work TCU. Maybe Utah fans will be a little less obnoxious ... at...
EVERYONE BYU OR UTAH FAN ALIKE NEEDS TO UNITE AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD FOR...
The sad reality is that Utah hasn't won a big road game in years. Can anyone...
TCU= cure for Ute arrogance! But hey, humility is a great character trait!
All of you Ute fans.....NOT!
All the kewgs talkin smack is great. TCU is a great team that will represent...
I can say one thing for certain. I love watching the Utes lose. I love it I...
The Utes were down 35-7 with eight minutes left in the FIRST HALF and they...
Great job TCU for killing my Utes. You guys are a great team. Enjoy this...
"Further, the only man who qualifies for the Melchizedek priesthood is Jesus...

You can be the first to comment on this story.