KXRA’s Voice of Alexandria reports…
Advocates are asking state lawmakers for 35 million dollars a year to expand broadband Internet access in rural Minnesota.
Bills have already been introduced in the Minnesota House and Senate. Judy Erickson with the Rural Broadband Coalition says it needs to be in the base budget instead of one-time money like in the past. Erickson said, “It’s difficult to plan a large project if you don’t know if there’ll be money next year.” The 20 million dollars appropriated last year was in a budget bill vetoed by then-Governor Mark Dayton over disagreements with the Republican-controlled legislature.
