A little-noticed aspect of the $7.2 billion in taxpayer spending on broadband stimulus is who is qualified to receive it. The assumption by most is that broadband stimulus spending would flow to entities that, well, operate broadband networks. But this may not be the case. Tucked away on page 399 of this gargantuan piece of legislation is the following:
“To be eligible for a grant under the program, an applicant shall—
(1.)
A. be a State or political subdivision thereof, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession of the United States, an Indian tribe or native Hawaiian organization;
B. a nonprofit—
(i) foundation,
(ii) corporation,
(iii) institution, or
(iv) association; or
C. any other entity, including a broadband service or infrastructure provider, that the Assistant Secretary finds by rule to be in the public interest.”
Photo attribution: AP Photo/The Times Daily, Jim Hannon
There may be nothing to this but the ordering strikes me as odd. First are states and cities (subdivisions of states). Since when do states build broadband networks? Second are non-profits. Here also, I was unaware that non-profits built and operated broadband networks. And last are “other entities.”
