Smullen Insists Broadband Study Should Be Included in Yearly Budget

Assemblyman Robert Smullen (R,C,I,SAM-Meco) is calling on the governor to make good on earlier promises and ensure broadband across the state is funded in this year’s budget. A staunch advocate for equitable broadband access, Smullen is determined to show the governor that throwing away a proposal so clearly essential for New Yorkers, especially in the wake of a pandemic, is the wrong thing to do.

“It’s imperative that we work together to solve this issue while we still can, before more families are left behind in the digital age,” Smullen said. “School, telehealth, basic communication – these are all needs that modern broadband can supply, but many regions in New York are still without. In the wake of a pandemic, it is imperative that this job be done/.”

In the Legislature, Smullen and his colleagues have passed billsthat ensured a wider broadband reach, but the governor has vetoed them, arguing such conversations should be saved for the budget. “I appreciate the Governor’s concerns of broadband, but it’s become clear that reliable broadband is essential, and necessary for all New Yorkers,” Smullen concluded.