Democratic candidates tout rural broadband infrastructure goals

The leading Democratic presidential candidates are all calling for major increases in spending for roads, bridges, rural broadband and other infrastructure needs, but they'll need large increases in tax revenue to pay for their plans. The Democrats' plans rely far less heavily than private investment than President Donald Trump would, as President Trump's 2018 budget proposed spending $200 billion “to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investments with partners at the State, local, Tribal, and private level.” President Trump hasn't pursued the plan with Congress. Sen Bernie Sanders (I-VT) argues he can pay for his infrastructure plan by "closing corporate income tax loopholes and overseas tax havens." Sen Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) wants to raise the corporate income tax from 21% to 25% as well as reduce corporate tax incentives.

The candidates all promise to pour money into rural broadband. Some are proposing as much as $80 billion to $150 billion in new spending, with an emphasis in some cases on helping local communities build networks to fill gaps left by private internet service providers. Former South Bend (IN) Mayor Pete Buttigieg, for example, promises to work for a federal law that would prevent states from blocking the establishment of community-run networks. 

Meanwhile, farm groups have come to regard broadband as essential to economic success, even survival. Just a few years ago, the American Farm Bureau Federation said transportation facilities were its clear top priority for rural infrastructure. Now, broadband has joined transportation as the organization’s two priorities for infrastructure spending, says R.J. Carney, an AFBF congressional relations director. Fortunately, "we’ve seen a lot of bipartisanship in regards to broadband infrastructure," he said. He points to the US Dept of Agriculture's ReConnect Program, launched with $600 million in 2018 to provide grants and loans to extend broadband to unserved and underserved rural areas. In Dec another $555 million was added.