A budget compromise reached by a Minnesota legislative...
A budget compromise reached by a Minnesota legislative conference committee would set aside $20 million for broadband development, and while it was far short of the $100 million sought in a proposal this year, proponents hailed the deal on Thursday.…
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“It’s a good down-payment on what needs to be a sustained commitment to broadband infrastructure,” said Sen. Matt Schmit, of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), sponsor of Senate File-2056 (http://bit.ly/1lwFcaX) that sought the larger amount for grants to improve broadband in underserved areas. “Businesses and families across Greater Minnesota have reason to celebrate today because of the historic first step Minnesota has taken in recognizing that the lack of broadband is crippling rural communities,” said a statement from Dan Dorman, executive director of the Greater Minnesota Partnership, a coalition of businesses, nonprofits and cities that advocates for economic development policies. “Border-to-border access to reliable cell phone and high-speed internet coverage will be essential to Minnesota’s continued economic growth. These new investments in broadband infrastructure will help move our state closer that important goal,” DFL Gov. Mark Dayton said in a statement (http://bit.ly/1jQN5eX). Final votes by the Legislature were pending at our deadline.