Prosperity in America has always been closely tied to transportation.
The nation’s economy first developed along rivers, simply because they provided a way to get goods to market. The advent of railroads in the 19th century and interstate highways in the 20th likewise focused economic development along lines of transportation.
The 21st century follows the same rule, with the crucial difference that much of our commerce is now in the form of digital bits and bytes streaming across high-speed communication networks.
That makes broadband communications crucial for economic development. And that’s why we’re glad state Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, and Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Greeley, have introduced their bill to buttress broadband communication services in rural Colorado.
Many parts of rural Colorado have lagged behind the Front Range metroplex in access to such high- speed communications. Bringing broadband to rural communities could thus revitalize parts of the state that have been losing population even as the Front Range grows at a rate that strains its highways, schools and water resources.
Many smaller communities are well situated to carry on today’s electronic commerce. If a shopper in Batavia, N.Y., clicks her mouse to order a striking piece of Native American jewelry, the resulting order can be processed in Towaoc, right on the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation in southwest Colorado, as easily as in Denver — if the necessary broadband services are in place.
Strengthening communities such as Lamar, Haxtun and Rangely helps stabilize areas that already have the housing, schools and public infrastructure in place to prosper. It also avoids forcing rural Coloradans to head for overcrowded cities.
The importance of communications in rural America has been recognized from our earliest days. A first-class stamp will carry a letter from Denver to Norwood for the same price as the shorter trip to Aurora. Telephone customers in urban areas likewise pay a small fee to subsidize universal service, ensuring calls can be made as easily to Springfield as to Boulder.
That’s the same philosophy Ron Binz, chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, is now trying to bring to broadband service, possibly by adopting a modest surcharge on high-speed telecommunications to subsidize rural service.
The Schwartz-Riesberg bill authorizes the PUC to develop a funding mechanism to ensure rural broadband services. We obviously can’t endorse or oppose such a plan until it’s complete, but we welcome this bill as an important step for Colorado’s overall economic health.
