While California ended most restrictions related to COVID-19
today, the state still must deal with the effects of the
pandemic, particularly the inequities it exposed, including the
digital divide. The Public Utilities Commission estimates that
2.3 million Californians have no broadband access at modern
speeds, with low-income, Latino, Black, Indigenous, and rural
Californians left disproportionately unconnected.
Fortunately, Governor Gavin Newsom has put forward a visionary
budget proposal to invest $7 billion in broadband infrastructure,
including $4 billion to build a statewide open-access middle mile
network along the state highway system that would make high speed
broadband affordable and feasible for every community in the
state. Local government and non-profit leaders from across
the state have joined together to support the proposal.
“Governor Newsom’s historic broadband proposal gives us a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to close the digital divide. I
applaud him for his leadership. This is an equity issue. This is
an economic competitiveness issue,” said Santa Clara County
Supervisor Cindy Chavez. “The best time to have closed the
digital divide was 25 years ago. The second-best time is right
now. I urge the Legislature to approve the Governor’s proposal.”
CSAC, on behalf of an exponentially growing, far-reaching
coalition of education, health, business, technology, labor and
other organizations submitted the
following letter to Legislative leaders urging immediate
action to include Governor Gavin Newsom’s broadband budget
package be included in the June 15 budget.
The organizations above strongly support the Governor’s proposal
for a $7 billion investment to help close the Digital Divide.
With these funds and the additional financing sources they would
leverage, California can once again be a leader in digital
access.
But time is of the essence. We must begin the work this summer to
connect the 2.3 million Californians with no meaningful access to
the internet, while at the same time laying the groundwork for
affordability and choice for the 15.4 million more who live in
broadband monopolies.
The Employee Relations policy area falls under the jurisdiction
of the Government Finance and Operations (GFO) Policy Committee
and is responsible for all issues related to public employment
and retirement. Specific issues areas are pension benefits and
pension system administration; labor relations; issues regarding
county negotiations with employees; workers’ compensation; and
other risk management issues facing public employers.
As a former State Assembly Member and current Monterey County
Supervisor, I am urging Lawmakers to lift the thin veil hiding
telecom’s opposition to including Governor Newsom’s broadband
proposal in the June state budget.
Incumbent broadband providers, more than any other group,
are responsible for California’s digital divide and
they’ll stop at nothing to protect their monopolies, putting
profit over people yet again.
Governor Newsom’s $7 billion broadband budget investment is
public infrastructure for public good. Dedicating $4 billion of
this package to create a statewide open access middle mile
network is the only long-term solution to universal access and
affordability that will bridge the digital divide and connect
California.
For 15.4 million Californians, there’s only one provider option
for modern-speed, 100 mbps broadband access. No competition means
no incentive to provide increasingly higher speeds, responsive
customer service or affordable rates. In
fact, incumbent providers actively work to prevent
competitors from accessing funding from the CASF
program to build last mile networks under the guise of
“overbuilding” or unfulfilled promises to eventually service
areas deemed unprofitable.
