The Albert Lea Tribune supports greater funding for broadband in Minnesota…

Last year, the Legislature and governor passed $10.84 million in funding for one year.

Gov. Mark Dayton and House Democrats this year have proposed $100 million for border-to-border broadband access. Proposals have not yet been announced from both parties in the Senate from the House Republicans. The governor’s task force on broadband is calling for $100 million each year for the next two years.

They add that fast Internet access to necessary for their work – and other small businesses…

Here at the Tribune, much of our day is dependent on the Internet. If the Internet is down, our operation is stunted and sometimes even halted as we rely on it to do many things.

Internet is becoming something that is not only a helpful tool, but a necessity — at least for our business.
We imagine we are not the only business in Freeborn County that relies on the Internet for much of its operations.

Continuing to track what the local papers are saying about broadband leading up to the 2016 legislative season. Here’s the latest from the Brainerd Dispatch…

He [Representative Thissen] identified the issues of broadband expansion and oil train safety as possible junctions between what Democrats and Republicans want for rural areas. The House DFL together with Gov. Mark Dayton wants $100 million for expanded broadband lines in rural areas of the state.

Assistant Majority Leader Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, told the Mankato Free Press the amount allocated for broadband this biennium would likely be “north” of the $10.6 million approved last year.

“Ron has been a proponent of broadband,” Thissen said. “The problem is, the leadership in his caucus are not, and that presents a big challenge for him.”

On Wednesday, Kresha said the fact the DFL put dollar figures on its proposals before the February state budget forecast comes out was “reckless,” since lawmakers don’t know if the budget surplus will go down and leave them less money to work with.

“I think with the recent stock market hesitations, we will probably see a surplus that is less robust,” Kresha said. “Until we see those numbers, it’s a little bit premature to start putting promises out.”

On broadband, Kresha said there was “no realistic number” until the forecast came out and available federal and private dollars were assessed, other than “we need to do more than we did last year.”

And the latest from the Grand Rapids Herald…

The Greater Minnesota for All proposal focuses on four areas:
• Creating jobs.
• Education and workforce training.
• Property tax relief.
• Programs for seniors.

The agenda, however, does not include any direct relief for small businesses. Thissen and Marquardt said, however, there would be help for small business owners in other segments of the proposal, such as more broadband funding.
The House DFL plan would return LGA funding to 2002 levels of $565 million annually. State budget deficits forced LGA cuts for several years.

“The lifeblood of rural Minnesota is LGA. An LGA increase is in the Senate side of the tax bill, and the governor also supports it. We can do this with political will of the House GOP,” Marquardt said.

Nearly one-third of the plan’s cost — $100 million of $350 million — would go toward broadband expansion in rural areas.

“The broadband is huge for Greater Minnesota,” Thissen said.

Rural newspapers continue to chime in with their support for broadband funding. Faribault Daily News is the latest addition…

High speed internet has been around for a very long time in metropolitan areas like the Twin Cities, Duluth, Rochester and a few mid-size towns dotting the state map. But for folks in Greater Minnesota, routine streaming of Netflix, YouTube or Storify is still in the process of downloading, so to speak.

Another critical fact that should be taken into account is that Greater Minnesota students from elementary school to high school struggle daily to complete homework because of slow internet.
The perceived failings of the GOP-controlled House – including any workable resolution on broadband − will figure to be critical in the 2016 election cycle, according to House Minority Leader Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Minneapolis). Thissen said on Tuesday in an interview at the Daily News that many pieces of this agenda have been discussed for numerous years.
One of those topics is the development of broadband infrastructure. An increased focus on providing internet service at viable prices is a central component to the agenda, with Gov. Mark Dayton calling for $100 million in investments.
And here’s a suggestion that I like (although I might extend it to anyone who doubts the need for better broadband in rural areas) …
If House Republicans were made to experience the slow internet folks in Greater Minnesota experience every day, they might realize that the issue of border-to-border broadband is one worth getting behind.

Broadband is making the top list of a lot of articles on hot issues for upcoming legislative session. Here’s the latest from the Winona Daily News…

The Greater Minnesota for All agenda splits into four sections, dealing with job growth, education investment, rural property tax relief and support for senior citizens.

House DFL leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said in a conference call with reporters Monday that their proposals hope to take advantage of a large budget surplus, but shouldn’t come as a surprise. …

Other investments they hope will increase jobs and economic growth include rural workforce housing tax credits and broadband expansion funding for rural areas.

House DFL deputy leader Paul Marquart said that joining Gov. Mark Dayton in asking for $100 million for broadband funding would be a reasonable level of investment for its benefits and need.

“This is a huge economic equalizer for rural Minnesota,” Marquart said.

Over the weekend the Mankato Free Press posted an editorial supporting bipartisan funding increase for broadband…

While Republicans and Democrats in the Minnesota Legislature appear to be drawing familiar battle lines on tax and spending issues, both should get serious about a robust, significant and job-boosting broadband bill.

They include an update on what policymakers are planning this year…

This year the DFL House minority has proposed an outstate Minnesota package that includes $100 million for the broadband grant program. While the House GOP majority has not yet proposed a specific dollar figure, Assistant House Majority Leader Rep. Ron Kresha, Fergus Falls, told The Free Press this year’s proposed budget for broadband would be “north” of the $10.6 million last year.

If that’s the case, the House GOP plan would be targeting a level somewhere over $20 million over two years.

And example of why this may be an uphill battle that may require educating the policymakers…

The Republican House majority resisted the entire program at one point with Jobs Growth Committee Chair Pat Garofalo suggesting broadband might soon be an outdated technology.