Rep. Mary Czaja (R – Irma) announced last week that the Joint Finance Committee has voted to ensure that $4.3 million in funding for broadband expansion grants will be included in the 2013-2015 State Budget.
“When I learned that funding for broadband services was in jeopardy, I immediately joined with my colleagues who also serve rural communities to send a letter to the Joint Committee on Finance,” Czaja said. “We emphasized how vitally important broadband access is the areas we represent, and encouraged the JFC to provide funding so that rural parts of Wisconsin have access to the same services that urban areas already enjoy.”
The $4.3 million in funding was approved during JFC action on Monday, May 13. The funds will be used to provide grants to private groups, utilities and municipalities to build out access to broadband in rural Wisconsin.