I hope to have time to dig deeper later this afternoon but I wanted to at least share news from the Duluth News Tribune…

In the Senate, Sen. Paul Gazekla, R-Nisswa, tried to take $10 million from the state film and television board and use it to help expand broadband in the state. But his effort failed 31-30, leaving a bill providing $17 million for broadband.

In the House, Rep. Erik Simonson, D-Duluth, lost his attempt to increase broadband spending $148 million with money taken from what Republicans who control the House had planned to leave unspent.

House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, ruled that Simonson’s proposal did not fit into already-approved House budget levels, so did not allow debate or a vote.

The House bill would appropriate about $10 million for broadband.

“This is a key, key issue for rural Minnesota…” Gazelka said. “There is no way a private entity can do it.”

Simonson agreed: “This is one of the primary, if not the primary, need for economic development across Minnesota.”

The Duluth Democrat reminded Republican representatives that they ran campaigns last fall saying that Democrats did too little for nonmetro Minnesota. If they voted with him to increase funding, he said, they would fulfil their campaign promises.

A governor’s broadband task force said the state should spend $200 million to provide adequate broadband service statewide. Lawmakers delivered

$20 million last year.

Sen. Matt Schmit, D-Red Wing, said that many benefited last year but the $17 million in the Senate bill “is not going to cut it.”