In their version of the state budget, Ohio Senate Republicans erased money that had been earmarked for broadband programs. But they also added a provision that would ban local communities from doing their own broadband programs.
Republican Senate President Matt Huffman said there鈥檚 likely to be what he calls 鈥渟ignificant dollars available in the budget鈥� for broadband. However, he said he wants the priority to be rural and underserved urban areas, not for municipalities to become enterpreneurs.
鈥淚t may make sense for a local city to go out and say, 鈥榟ey, let鈥檚 sell this to a large corporation over here, and they鈥檙e going to pay us a lot of money.鈥� Well, the private sector can do that. They need to go do it to schools, or even businesses that there鈥檚 not broadband service,鈥� Huffman said.
The provision would ban all current and future municipal broadband programs if there鈥檚 a private company offering broadband in the area. The House and Gov. Mike DeWine would have to agree to it.
