MuniWireless

The latest report affirming that high-speed Internet access is an impetus for economic growth comes from Kentucky. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT jobs there grew by 3.1 percent compared to .1 percent nationally in 2005.The latest report affirming that high-speed Internet access is an impetus for economic growth comes from Kentucky. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT jobs grew by 3.1 percent compared to .1 percent nationally in 2005. A story on the Government Technology web site says the growth was “facilitated” by ConnectKentucky, a private-public initiative aimed at providing ubiquitous broadband access across the state.

The BLS data is interesting but I would not be too quick to make too much of it without taking a closer look at Kentucky and what’s going on there. Much as I love the state where I was born, I also know it’s never been a technological leader. Growth rates are always more stellar when you’ve got a long way to go to catch up than when you’ve saturated the industry.

But the ConnectKentucky does deserve a good, close look. Verizon has called for modeling a national broadband policy modeled after it, making government grants and loans available to private companies to extend coverage.

On the spectrum of ways to get things done, ConnectKentucky represents a public-private partnership with an unusually strong free-market orientation. The group, which sells steering committee partnerships for $20,000 annually, aims to insure full state-wide broadband access this year.The program has, by all accounts, succeeded in extending broadband coverage across a state that half-mountainous and largely rural.

My concern is that the program creates a priviledged collective that enjoys unusually high-level input into state policy planning–for a price that is prohibitive to individuals, local leaders, small business, and even many mid-sized businesses. This is not a new phenomenon. It’s called lobbying. But I’ve never seen it quite so institutionalized.

According to ConnectKentucky’s web site, ConnectKentucky Partners…

In fairness, input into local initiatives is not limited to members of the steering committee. ConnectKentucky works closely with local community leaders but, with up-front payments as advertised heavily as ConnectKentucky does on its website, it raises questions of undue influence.

I’d be interested in hearing your take. Please visit ConnectKentucky’s website to learn about its organization and various activities.

Click here to read the Government Technology story about Kentucky’s performance in the BLS stats and don’t miss the comments with additional questions and information about the ConnectKentucky program.