California Counties Applaud Swift Action to Advance Broadband
November 17, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sara Floor, Communications Manager
916-926-8769; email:sfloor@counties.org
SACRAMENTO–The California State Association of Counties (CSAC), which represents all 58 California Counties, issues the following reaction to Governor Newsom’s initial broadband project list.
In several parts of California, some businesses and families just want broadband access. Period. Not even fast or comprehensive - just basic access comparable to what many other Californians already have. Residents in 18 different regions of California can give thanks for something extra this holiday season as California’s Counties applaud Governor Newsom’s swift action to begin work on an open-access middle-mile broadband network.
“The list of 18 projects announced today reflects both the geographic and population diversity within the digital divide, and California’s Counties look forward to more project announcements in the future that prioritize unserved and underserved residents,” said CSAC 1st Vice President and Siskiyou County Supervisor Ed Valenzuela. “This quick action, occurring just a few short months after the middle-mile network funding was authorized, bodes well for its timely completion, and is thanks in part to the close collaboration between the Department of Technology, CPUC, and Caltrans.”
Increasing broadband access and affordability will transform the way schools, small businesses, healthcare organizations, and others can provide goods and services statewide. Currently, more than two million Californians, both urban and rural, are caught in the digital divide without access to broadband at modern speeds, and 15 million more are at the mercy of provider monopolies.
This action is a step in the right direction to maximize California’s historic $6 billion broadband infrastructure investment.
California State Association of Counties (CSAC) is the voice of California’s 58 counties at the state and federal level. # # #
