Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington)
Funding to expand broadband Internet in Greater Minnesota is a major point of contention as Minnesota House lawmakers debate a jobs, environment and agriculture budget bill today. Representative Pat Garofalo says Republicans’ bill provides 40 million dollars over next two years, which will leverage federal and private dollars to total 250 million dollars. Garofalo says that money will primarily go to Greater Minnesota. Democrat Paul Marquart from Dilworth responds the governor is proposing 100 million dollars and Senate Democrats 85 million this year, while House Republicans “after all the bluster and everything you heard about rural Minnesota” are only proposing 15 million dollars.”