Legislatively Speaking
By Senator Lena C. Taylor
Lena C. Taylor
Almost everything we do, these days, is connected to the internet. COVID-19 exacerbated our dependency or highlighted the need for broadband, depending on whom you ask. Groceries, home goods, and just about any retail service you can think of is available online. Brick and Mortar stores have been telling us for years that the malls were seeing less traffic.
The pandemic demonstrated that remote employment, online learning, or even a virtual doctor’s appointment were possible, in mass. Zoom and virtual meetings have changed everything from office structure to conference attendance. We have been forced to reckon with the idea that the “world wide web” literally does connect us across sectors, industries, and activities. Hooray, right? It depends on who you ask.
According to its 2021 Broadband Deployment Report, the Federal Communications Commission estimated that 6.8% of Wisconsinites lacked access to basic low-level broadband service, compared to the national average of 4.4%. Factors that range from income to regional accessibility, can determine your connectivity. Race and age also contribute to whether a home is tapped into the internet.
Data found that nearly 14% of Milwaukee youth don’t have broadband access at home. This is more than double the state average. Additionally, 13.6% of Black residents, 11% of Hispanic/Latinx residents, 5.8% of whites, lack broadband access. This is a problem, rural or city, urban or suburban, no matter what part of the state you review. The push for infrastructure investments, funding, and additional resources are underway across the country. We just have to ensure that the fight to address the digital divide doesn’t further divide us as a state.
Many low-income Milwaukee neighborhoods struggle with limited or unreliable broadband service. A survey by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan American think-tank, found 35% of households in the United States with school-age children and an annual income of under $30,000 do not have access to high-speed internet. Among households earning $75,000 or more, only 6% lack high-speed internet.
Wisconsin and Milwaukee have taken steps to allocate funding for broadband infrastructure expansion and digital inclusion programs. Federal grants, state funding, and private investments have also been a lifeline in addressing the problems. The state is also slated to receive nearly $6 million dollars from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to help plan for expanding high-speed internet across Wisconsin. The award is part of the Internet for All initiative under the Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
As allocations are made to projects around the state, we must realize that there is work to do across the board. Ideally, every community should have equitable access to the internet, technology, and digital resources. Realistically, resources have not matched the demand or need. As legislators, we have secured aid for our districts and our state.
Many low-income neighborhoods in Milwaukee have struggled with limited or unreliable broadband access, hindering the residents’ ability to participate fully in the digital age. This was highly visible when our children were tasked with attending virtual schooling during the height of the pandemic.
In today’s world, internet access has become just as important as any other in-home essential utilities.
Milwaukee’s commitment to closing the digital divide should not only be about providing high-speed internet access but also about ensuring that every resident has the skills and tools to harness the potential of the digital world. There needs to be more programming in teaching people how to use this constant accelerating technology to their best benefit. The commitment to providing equitable access to broadband is not only a matter of connectivity but also an investment in the city’s future.