The momentum is really starting to build for the 2016 Legislative season and broadband is topping the list of more and more lists of what’s hot. The Post Bulletin recently ran an article that highlights the opportunities for broadband funding next year…
Expect funding for broadband infrastructure to be a hot topic in the upcoming legislative session.
Earlier this month, budget officials announced the state’s projected budget surplus had swelled to nearly $1.9 billion. DFL Gov. Mark Dayton told reporters on the heels of the surplus news that he’d like $100 million of those dollars dedicated to building broadband infrastructure.
But Dayton isn’t the only one they are talking to…
Meanwhile, Preston Republican Rep. Greg Davids has organized a broadband listening session in Spring Valley next week. Davids said he put the meeting together after hearing from constituents concerned about a lack of reliable high-speed internet in the area.
“As you see people at Big Bob’s and you are eating breakfast, you will hear complaints about lack of service, and so I thought, ‘You know what? Let’s talk about it,'” Davids said. “We need to take a look at it. It’s a serious issue for rural Minnesota.”
The meeting will be 1 p.m. Friday at Spring Valley Community Center, 200 S. Broadway St. Assistant House Majority Leader Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, is expect to attend, along with some providers.
They also mention Senator Matt Schmitt who has been a vocal advocate for broadband for several years…
One of the biggest champions of broadband funding at the Capitol has been Red Wing DFL Sen. Matt Schmit. He sponsored legislation that established the state’s Office of Broadband Development and created the state’s broadband grant fund.
Schmit said he is pleased by the governor’s pledge of support. Two year ago, he said the governor was skeptical of investing in broadband grants and didn’t recommend any funding. Last year, he urged lawmakers to invest $30 million. Now the governor is on board for $100 million in funding.
“This is the kind of momentum growth that we want to see, and we’re certainly moving in the right direction,” he said.
Schmit said he plans to introduce a bill seeking $100 million for the broadband grant program in the 2016 session.
As a proponent of broadband, I’m so glad to see the topic bubbling up BUT I am cautiously optimistic. The topic seemed to bubble up last year about this time too but lost a little momentum – I think it part because most broadband proponents thought everyone was on the same page. But we weren’t there were drastic reductions in the broadband fund last year and for what seemed like a long time the whole fund was in limbo. We just need to keep up the momentum to insure that policymakers know there are a lot of people who support better broadband.