Dayton Seeking $100M For Broadband Expansion

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Mark Dayton is laying out a high-speed Internet marker by proposing a $100 million infusion to help bring broadband to more rural Minnesota areas.

Dayton proposed the substantial increase in grant funding on Thursday as he reacted to news of a nearly $1.9 billion projected surplus. Last spring, the Legislature put $10 million into a competitive grant account after $20 million the year before. Demand for that money far outstripped the available resources.

The Democratic governor says the amount he is proposing "may not be the right number but is has to be significant."

The state's two-year-old grant program requires companies and communities to match a state allocation. The goal is to bring higher-speed Internet to unserved or underserved regions.

He ran for office on a "border-to-border broadband" pledge.