Today the New York State Legislature passed a budget that excluded language earlier highlighted by AAPB that would have undermined a signature program of Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration that seeks to give communities a better opportunity to choose the kind of broadband network that best meets the needs of their residents. The Municipal Infrastructure Program provides grant funding for communities building locally owned and controlled broadband networks. This is a victory for every community, and every resident of New York State.
Gigi Sohn, Executive Director of AAPB released the following statement:
Â
I applaud the New York State Legislature for standing up to backroom attempts by incumbent cable lobbyists to undermine community broadband. Let this be a lesson for any ISP seeking to block public broadband through non-transparent legislative tricks— AAPB is watching and we will fiercely defend every community’s right to choose local network ownership.
We congratulate Senator Rachel May, Assemblymember Dr. Anna R. Kelles, Governor Hochul and other allies of public broadband in the state legislature and the Administration for working to defeat this language. They recognize that communities should be free to choose what kind of broadband network best serves their residents and that public networks can provide the kind of universal service at affordable prices that incumbents often do not.
While we were successful in beating back this recent attack, we have little doubt that those same cable lobbyists with their enormous resources will try again next year. And AAPB and its members will be there to defend and preserve the freedom of every community to control its broadband future.
###
Media Contact:
Aaron Alberico
202-744-0786