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The Broadband Campaign In New York
by Michael Martinez
New York gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer pledged this week to make high-speed Internet access available to every corner of his state if he is elected.
Spitzer, a Democrat who is currently the state's attorney general, spoke at the Personal Democracy Forum annual conference held at the City University of New York on Monday. He said universal broadband is necessary for New York to succeed in the modern marketplace.
"If you're a kid growing up in South Korea, your Internet access is 10 times faster at half the price than a kid growing up in the South Bronx," he said. "New Yorkers are at a competitive disadvantage that is simply unacceptable. As we move from the industrial age to the information age, from the manufacturing economy to the knowledge economy, we must begin to think beyond traditional forms of infrastructure."
In order to maximize broadband penetration, the state must allow municipalities to own and operate their own networks, Spitzer said. His strategy calls for the state's Public Service Commission to review all New York regulations that deter public broadband.
"It's almost hard to imagine, but states have actually passed laws and regulations that limit, instead of expand, broadband access," he said. "New York State must have a clear mandate that permits local leadership and encourages competition from all providers, private or public."
Spitzer also urged federal lawmakers to add Internet access to the universal service fund, which subsidizes telecommunications access in underserved areas. Until more federal funding is available, he suggested that the state establish a related grant program. According to Spitzer, a lack of imagination and leadership is to be blamed for the state's growing "digital divide."
He cited Philadelphia's citywide wireless project as an example of an aggressive and efficient solution to ensuring universal broadband. The New York City Parks and Recreation Department on Monday set deadlines for a series of wireless projects in parks in four of the boroughs. A wireless network in Central Park is scheduled to be running by July.
"The Internet is the 'dial tone' of our time, and it is time we guarantee every citizen of New York State the right to access it, and use it to advance themselves and advance the economy of this state," Spitzer said.
Report Praises State's Competitiveness Efforts
Despite strapped budgets and limited resources, state governments during the past year implemented various successful strategies to enhance their economic competitiveness, according to a study released Tuesday.
A report issued by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices found that most state programs have focused on building "clusters of innovation" where businesses can share each other's markets and workforces. But it also contended that most states are still two to three years of steady growth away from fully recovering from a recession at the beginning of the decade.
State lawmakers also are placing a higher priority on building skilled workforces capable of competing in the global economy, the report said. It also found that six different states launched programs to fund worker training for jobs that require basic information technology skills.
The report further noted that six states, including New York, South Dakota and Texas, have prioritized the development of nanotechnology.
"Governors understand that competition is now based on the ability of firms and individuals to innovate, exploit indigenous strengths or existing clusters. and build knowledge-based activity," John Thomasian, director of the center, said in a release. "They are utilizing the skills of the workforce and the capacity for innovation to enhance states' ability to compete in the world marketplace."
S.D. School Districts Selected For Laptops
South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds on Tuesday announced the selection of 20 school districts for a test program to distribute laptop computers to state students.
Each school district will be reimbursed for one-third of the cost to purchase the machines, which are being made available by Gateway at discounted prices. Teachers at participating schools, which were selected by the state's Education Department and its Bureau of Information and Telecommunications, will be required to attend training sessions this summer to learn how to incorporate the equipment into their lesson plans.
"This project is a perfect example of the education and business communities working together for the good of our children," Rounds said in a release. "We have state agencies, school districts, universities, and local and national businesses bringing their expertise to the table in order to make this project a success."
State Education Secretary Rick Melmer said training teachers is vital if the program is to succeed. Instructors from South Dakota State University lead the training phase of the pilot program. Cisco Systems and Microsoft also have agreed to donate equipment.
"The classroom of the future will -- and should -- require that technology be immersed within lessons," Melmer said. "That day is coming, whether it's two years from now or 10 years from now. By providing laptops to students, South Dakota is providing its young people with a competitive edge as they prepare to enter today's fast-paced, technologically advanced world."
Louisiana Weighs Videogame Bills
The Louisiana House on Tuesday unanimously passed a proposal to ban the sale of violent and sexually explicit videogames to minors.
Under the bill, H.B. 1381, vendors would face fines of up to $2,000 and prison sentences of up to one year per violation. Judges could determine whether certain games should be pulled from stores. The vote was 102-0.
A less stringent Senate proposal also advanced Tuesday. That measure, S.B. 340, would only regulate the sale of sexually explicit games. It was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The measure is eligible for third reading in the Senate as early as Thursday.
Critics of both bills contend that they are unconstitutional. Videogame laws enacted in California, Illinois and Michigan in the past year all were overturned on constitutional grounds.
Similar legislation is pending in Delaware, Minnesota and Oklahoma.
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