[Statement] Letter to Kentucky General Assembly Opposing Proposed Legislation to Force Sale of Popular and Successful Public Broadband Network

This week, the American Association for Public Broadband sent a letter to the members of the Kentucky General Assembly in opposition to proposed legislation by State Senator Gex Williams that would require the Frankfort Plant Board (FPB) to sell its telecommunications business to a private entity. The FPB has been providing communications services to the residents of Kentucky’s Capital City since 1952 and has been providing broadband Internet access service since 2021.

AAPB Frankfort Letter 01.16.2024.pdf

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Gigi Sohn, Executive Director of AAPB released the following statement:

The attack on the highly successful and immensely popular Frankfort Plant Board is just the latest in a series of recent dark money efforts to slow the inevitable march toward communities owning their broadband futures. One wonders what has possessed Senator Williams to attempt to upend a public utility that provides robust and affordable broadband Internet access with an incredible 65% take rate. Legislation that would force the sale of a telecommunications business that has provided critical services to the Capital City for over 70 years is a solution in search of a problem.

Just as in Utah, Michigan and Massachusetts, out-of-state giant incumbent broadband providers continue to hide behind surrogates in an attempt to block competition and community choice. AAPB will continue to shine a light on and oppose these efforts every time they arise.

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