To Supporters of Local Internet Choice

[Commentary] To all:
In very rural Sibley county, in Minnesota, where I live, the vote was nearly 3 to 1 in favor of Donald Trump. Our incumbent Republicans were re-elected with ease. Yet in this very conservative county, 10 city councils and 17 of 21 rural townships have come together to support putting their tax dollars at risk to build a fiber optic network to everyone in those communities and to all area farms. I don’t even find it ironic that in the middle of this Trump heartland the overwhelming majority of voters believe broadband is so important that it transcends local, state and national politics. Why? Because they get it. They understand they will need bigger and better broadband to survive and grow.

We need to educate the incoming administration and the Republican Congress to that point so they can understand the consequences of not meeting the needs of the people who just put them in office—and that needs for advanced communications are central to the needs of rural America. Most importantly, this issue transcends party affiliation or partisanship, and should be recognized as what it is—a priority for action at the state, local, and federal levels.

[Mark Erickson -- Winthrop, MN Economic Development Authority and RS Fiber Cooperative]