Wisconsin Republicans cut Evers' $750 million broadband plan from state budget

Republican lawmakers voted to eliminate Governor Tony Evers' (D-WI) proposed $750 million investment in broadband, saying the state would wait for an upcoming influx of federal broadband funding instead. The move by Republicans on the budget committee would mark the first time in a decade that the legislature hasn't set aside funding for broadband expansion. It comes at a time when the federal government is expected to spend between $700 million and $1.1 billion on broadband expansion in Wisconsin as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The state's Public Service Commission has estimated the total cost of expanding broadband statewide at about $1.8 billion. But Republicans, including State Rep. Alex Dallman, said that while they support expanding broadband, it didn't make sense to spend state money now with so much federal funding on the way.