Digital Beat

Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Vote Puts Federal Funding at Risk

On Thursday, April 10, the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Board of Directors voted on proposed guidelines for the PBDA’s Digital Skills and Community Capacity Program. The program, funded by the federal Digital Equity Act’s State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, will provide $25 million for digital inclusion programs in the Keystone State.

Background

An eleven-member Board of Directors governs the PBDA, made up of State Secretaries, two state representatives (one Democrat and one Republican), and two state senators (one Democrat and one Republican).

While some Board votes require a simple majority, some require a “qualified majority.” A qualified majority, as established in the PBDA bylaws, “requires the affirmative vote of at least six (6) members of the Board, with at least five (5) of the affirmative votes being cast by the Secretary of the Budget and the members of the Board appointed by the four (4) legislative caucuses, or their designees.”

Functionally, this means that in votes that require a qualified majority, the four legislative members and the Secretary of the Budget have veto authority.

What Happened

On April 3, the Board convened and announced that the scheduled vote on the program guidelines would be pushed to April 10 so the board members would have more time to review the guidelines. At the April 10 meeting, after a presentation on the guidelines by PBDA Director of Digital Community Investment Julia Brinjac, the board voted 9-1 to approve the guidelines, with one abstention.

However, the guidelines required a qualified majority to pass, and the one “no” vote was State Rep. Carl Metzgar (R-PA-69), meaning the program guidelines were not approved. Rep Metzgar said there was “almost certainly a mismatch” between the proposed rules and “policies on the way” from Washington, which have eschewed the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in government contracting.

Jim Mercante, a retired business executive in Chester County and member of the Keystone Internet Collective (KIC), spoke up during the public comment period to express his disappointment with the outcome of the vote. He later said,

For sure this is a disappointing outcome. But the members of the KIC will continue to vigorously advocate—in partnership with local coalitions, libraries, educational institutions, and business leaders—for the full achievement of all of the goals and objectives of the Digital Skills and Community Capacity Program and the establishment of an Office of Technology and Innovation in the Governor’s cabinet. Technology continues to advance at a fast pace. Pennsylvania must keep abreast of these technology changes that portend great opportunities for economic development, educational collaborations and breakthroughs, and personal and professional mobility and prosperity for every resident. Without such a commitment, Pennsylvania risks falling behind other states that have established such an organization, commitment, and mindset.

What Now

The Board can still vote to advance the Digital Skills and Community Capacity Program, but time is of the essence. By October, the PBDA needs to complete its subgrantee selection process and secure final approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Meeting this deadline will require swift action by both the PBDA and program applicants. If the Board does not allow this process to begin soon, the PBDA could miss federal deadlines and lose access to its Digital Equity funding.

Zoë Walker is a Writing Associate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

For subscribe/unsubscribe info, please email headlinesATbentonDOTorg

Kevin Taglang
Executive Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Institute
for Broadband & Society
1041 Ridge Rd, Unit 214
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-220-4531
headlines AT benton DOT org

Share this edition: