Increasing Access to Broadband to Encourage Economic Growth
Dear Friends,
As I shared with you all in my newsletter last week, the House Republican Caucus prioritizes the economic health of Georgia communities across the state, with a specific emphasis on supporting rural Georgia. This past Friday, I was honored to speak to the Georgia Economic Developers Association. The GEDA’s mission is to serve as the resource for networking, professional development, and public policy for Georgia’s economic development community.
The work that economic developers do across our state strengthens our state’s economy and creates healthy economic growth throughout our state. When crafting the budget we included several unique items that will support communities as they seek to attract and retain businesses, large and small. One of the main areas that we, as a state, can support economic development is through expanding access to high-quality broadband. Job creation, education, and healthcare access are all improved with better connectivity. Quality of life is enhanced with public and private sectors working together on solutions.
We are all aware that access to broadband is an issue that is near and dear to all Georgians, and its effect on economic development is massive. After the pandemic challenges of last year and seeing children in my community attending school virtually - or trying to - it continues to be a top priority for me. We included $10 million in this year’s budget, plus another $20 million in the amended budget for Fiscal Year 2021, to establish a broadband infrastructure grant program. This program assists rural communities in targeting broadband needs in their area. The budget includes $150,000 to hire a grant administrator to run this program. We also included $39.5 million for the OneGeorgia Authority for a Rural Innovation Fund dedicated to assisting rural communities in developing targeted solutions for economic, medical, technological, or infrastructure challenges. The budget for FY 2022 instructs the Department of Transportation to utilize $10 million of existing state and federal funds for broadband and rural development initiatives to enhance broadband access in underserved areas and to promote safety and innovation on our rural roadways.
Georgia is scheduled to receive $8 billion from the federal American Rescue Plan, with state government distributing an estimated $4.6 billion. The Governor’s office is currently developing a grant application process that will include a review committee specifically for projects related to broadband infrastructure. I look forward to seeing the exciting ways that some of these funds will be distributed to communities that desperately need better access - or just plain access! - to broadband.
I’ve shared with you how the legislature has sought to increase access to broadband to support economic development. How else can we help your community attract and retain businesses? Please do not hesitate to call (404.656.5052), e-mail (Jon.Burns@house.ga.gov), or participate on Facebook (www.FB.com/JonBurnsGA) to share your thoughts and concerns. Again, it is an honor to represent you in the General Assembly, and I look forward to seeing you soon.