Proposals for Using Economic Stimulus $$ for Broadband
Dec 19, 2008
Details are still sketchy on the proposed economic stimulus package that President-elect Barack Obama has spoken about. Speculation is that it could exceed $1 trillion, begging the big question: how will the money be allocated?
We recently created a listing in our tech policy predictive market asking how much of the money would be spent on broadband infrastructure investments. In a report Wednesday, Free Press called for $44 billion over the next three years for broadband improvements.
Geoff Daily, a D.C.-based journalist and entrepreneur who runs the App-Rising site, has also been coordinating an effort to develop a Rural Fiber Fund that would use two installments of $10 billion each to deploy fiber networks in rural communities.
I happened to be on the phone with Geoff earlier today, so I was on the lookout for the details, which were released a short time ago. The proposal will be followed by a policy paper on January 5th that he says will "flesh out the details" and provide a list of shovel-ready projects.ﾠ
Tags:
Barack Obama, broadband, economic stimulus, economy, Free Press, Geoff Daily, predictive market, rural broadband, TPCX
