Cities such as Philadelphia and St. Louis are considering whether they should deploy city-wide wi-fi networks on the cheap. It's right sexy. But while this idea may be more economical (i.e., less misguided) than municipalities getting into the business of building out fat broadband pipes, it still has all of the same potential shortcomings. Today's MIT Technology Review has an article explaining how long-term maintenance costs and management expertise make this a risky use of taxpayer (or tourist) dollars.