[1st-mile-nm] Gov. Richardson on Broadband

[Richard Lowenberg]

The following text is from the WCA's web site on presidential candidates'
broadband policy statements.   Excerpted here is the section on Governor
Bill Richardson.   More can be found at:
www.wcai.com/taskforce/politics/dem.php

In an August 2007 Podcast with New Hampshire Eagle Times reporter Sarwar
Kashmeri, Richardson was quoted as saying: " I would be a leader in
promoting Internet broadband access, because I think it's technology that
is needed...What I want to be sure of is that when we have broadband
access and Internet access that it goes to the community, that it goes to
schools, that it goes to the private sector, that it goes to businesses,
that it not just go to government offices, county and city governments -
that it be broadly based so that mainly schools can benefit from full
Internet and broadband access."

Governor Richardson supports rural broadband efforts, demonstrated by his
2007 budget which included a section on expanding broadband
infrastructure, noting the importance of providing state agencies with an
efficient network to support public safety, schools and Telehealth. An
April 2006 White Paper on What Governor's Are Planning for Information
Technology pointed to Richardson's support of Telehealth initiatives via
his March 2004 Healthcare Bill 581 which proposed expansion of rural
broadband networks to make health services such as electronic prescription
monitoring available to rural New Mexicans.

Gov. Richardson is invested in broadband as a tool to improve local
schools, and in 2006 reached a settlement with Quest that lead Quest to
invest $265 million in new technology [and] $15 million for computer
literacy programs for disadvantaged schools.

In 2005, Richardson held three technology planning summits, including a
Telecommunications Infrastructure Conference.  The Governor commented:
Technology-based economic development has been, and continues to be, a
priority for my administration, and these three events will showcase the
potential for growing sustainable, high-wage jobs and business -- building
on New Mexico's unparalleled technology resources."


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Richard Lowenberg
P.O.Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-989-9110,  505-603-5200 cell

New Mexico Broadband Initiative
www.1st-mile.com/newmexico
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