Cuomo proposes $500M broadband expansion upstate

Joseph Spector

Albany Bureau Chief

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday proposed that the state spend $500 million to expand broadband access, mainly upstate.

It’s one of the first campaign pledges Cuomo has made as he seeks a second term Nov. 4 against Republican Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive.

Cuomo said that if he’s re-elected, he would allocate $500 million for a “New NY Broadband Fund” that would make high-speed Internet available to all New Yorkers and businesses by 2018. He would look to get the private sector to match the $500 million.

“The next big challenge, especially for upstate New York in my opinion, is the availability of broadband,” Cuomo said at an event in Albany, where he received the state Business Council endorsement.

Cuomo said too many parts of New York, particularly rural areas, can’t compete in the global marketplace without high-speed Internet. He said that since he took office in 2011, the state has spent about $70 million to boost broadband access, but it hasn’t been enough.

In a news release, he cited statistics that showed 4.6 million New Yorkers can’t get the highest speed broadband, including 1.1 million who can’t get broadband at the minimum speeds.

Astorino spokeswoman Jessica Proud said Astorino has been talking for months about the need to expand broadband.

“We are glad to see the governor has come around to this. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the need,” Proud said.

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