Efforts to expand high-speed internet access in Wisconsin have hit a political roadblock, stalled by partisan infighting, according to Democratic Assembly members.
A budget proposal made by Gov. Tony Evers (D) seeking $750 million in state funding to supplement federal broadband dollars was removed during final stages from the state’s 2023-25 budget by Republican lawmakers on the Joint Finance Committee.
Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, who co-chairs the Republican-led budget committee, justified the funding removal by noting Wisconsin was set to receive $1.1 billion in federal money to expand broadband through the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program, Cap Times reported last Monday.
I know Wisconsin isn’t Minnesota. But we’re less Wisconsin when it comes to football than broadband because regardless of what side of the border we live on – we want to see 94 plowed in time for Thanksgiving with the cousins. We want our local customers or favorite shops to be able to communicate and/or deliver online. I don’t know much about the budget in Wisconsin, but I know states that have adequate staffing to manage the federal funding will have a better time helping everyone get better broadband. Also, it was reported at a recent Minnesota Office of Broadband Development meeting that construction paid for by the federal funding is unlikely to start before 2026 – due to time to finalize the Minnesota BEAD Volumes, time to manage and shortened construction season due to winter. And that’s where Minnesota and Wisconsin are more like siblings again.