Hoodline reports on support from the Coon Rapids City Council for MN HF 4182, the Equal Access to Broadband bill (I have been following the bill) that would allow local governments to charge franchising fees to wired broadband providers…

Coon Rapids is throwing its weight behind a proposed bill aimed at bringing equitable high-speed Internet to all corners of the state.

The Coon Rapids City Council, in a unanimous decision Tuesday, passed a resolution supporting the call for Equal Access to Broadband at the State Capitol, as reported on the city’s official website.

Amid the push for upgrades to current technological infrastructure, Representative Mike Freiberg of Crystal (43B) underscored the merit of the bill, telling Coon Rapids’ official website that “The equal access to broadband act will level the playing field with broadband ISPs while assuring build out and minimum upload and download speeds to meet the current and future needs of the business and residents statewide.” Broadband providers could be required to pay franchise fees akin to those imposed on cable companies, to utilize city right-of-ways for fiber optic cables.

These fees serve a crucial role beyond revenue – they directly fund public, education, and government (PEG) access programming.