Minnesota Governor Tim Walz Thursday unveiled his proposed two-year, $4.1 billion economic budget.
The budget includes a change making budget for broadband…
It also includes $276 million for border-to-border broadband internet and $10 million for communities struck by potential job losses as power plants close to “diversify their economies” and “find new opportunities for quality jobs and economic growth.”
This is in line (but lower end) with recommendations recently made by the Minnesota Broadband Task Force…
They have recommended annual funding for the Border to Border grants through 2026 to meet the speed goals of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. According to the chart (show below) the cost to the State would be $273,784,250 per biennial (for two years, which is the legislative cycle) if the grant match continues to be 50 percent. That number increases to $569,773,625 with a 75 percent match.
Blandin on Broadband 