Minnesota Rolls Out Free High-Speed Internet Funded By Taxing The Rich [1]

Minnesota is investing part of its $1.9 billion surplus into providing internet to rural residents.

Minnesota, once a state drowning in debt, is now being forced to deal with a new problem: how to spend their projected $1.9 billion budget surplus.

The extra $1.9 billion is likely to be allocated toward early childhood education and providing high-speed internet to Minnesota residents, according to the West Central Tribune [2]. Governor Mark Dayton, of Minnesota’s Democrat-Farm Labor Party, ran for office on a call to implement broadband internet “border-to-border” and has called for a $100 million infusion of funds [3], in conjunction with private investment, to build the initial infrastructure. While the total estimated cost to complete the job is $3.2 billion [4], Gov. Dayton has plenty of money to work with — the surplus is more than double what the state legislature had on hand by the end of this year’s legislative session in June.