According to the Grand Forks Herald, the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities is supporting broadband investment…
Improving broadband infrastructure is among the priorities. Gov. Mark Dayton wants to see $100 million in state funding dedicated to upgrading the service to improve speeds in rural areas of the state, but it’s unknown how much the Legislature will spring for when it comes to funding the initiative.
A map of broadband service in Minnesota produced one year ago shows much of Kittson, Marshall and Roseau counties are unserved by broadband wireline. To the south, large portions of Pennington, Polk and Red Lake counties meet the state’s minimum standard for upload and download speeds.
Blandin Foundation also welcomes the news that the Coalition has endorsed the Broadband Vision for Minnesota promulgated at the Border to Border Broadband Conference last fall:
“Everyone in Minnesota will be able to use convenient, affordable world-class broadband networks that enable us to survive and thrive in our communities and across the world.”
In so doing, the Coalition has joined a growing list of organizations, associations, local and regional governments, economic development entities and individuals who have endorsed the vision as a framework for policy makers as they make resource allocation decisions about meeting the needs of Minnesotans.