Experts want to help heartland cities compete for tech jobs. Their plan costs $100 billion.

Experts are proposing that Congress pick eight to 10 up-and-coming tech cities away from the coastal hubs and heavily invest in research and workforce development. They want lawmakers to run a rigorous selection process to pick the rising tech centers, but suggested a list of potential candidates such as Madison (WI) and Minneapolis. The proposal may have a moonshot price tag, but it could gain traction in today's political climate: Economic inequality is emerging as a central theme of the 2020 elections. Politicians are hungry for creative proposals to address the issue after President Trump's presidential election victory highlighted how many voters feel like they've been left behind by the tech boom. The $100 billion cost estimate is “substantially less” than fossil fuel subsidies over a 10-year period. To make a real dent, Congress would have to invest $700 million in each city per year for a decade. The funding would be directed to a wide range of tech research programs, such as additional grants for research universities in these cities and graduate research fellowships. The experts also want extensive regulatory changes to make it easier for these up-and-coming cities to attract and retain top tech talent. They propose a number of tax incentives to make the cities more attractive to high-tech firms. They also are suggesting an antitrust exemption so that companies can invest in cities together, without fear of legal challenges.