Budget & Finance
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Negotiations have stalled over a state Senate proposal to repeal a sales tax exemption on data center equipment. Gov. Abigail Spanberger raised the possibility of a data center electricity consumption tax. -
The program, designed for water and wastewater systems, builds upon plans released last year by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The move comes amid increasing worries about cyber attacks linked to the ongoing and widening war in Iran.
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Plus, Maine is looking for partners for its middle-mile network, New Mexico has enacted a law establishing a broadband affordability program, fiber infrastructure expansion is continuing, and more.
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The state is set to receive $3.9 million as part of a multistate lawsuit filed against Anthem following a “massive” data breach in 2014, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced Wednesday.
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Twenty-five transit projects from around the country received some $14 million in innovation grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration, growing projects like digital fare integration and trip-planning.
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Within a month, Connecticut residents may be able to access smartphone alerts if they have had possible contact with COVID-19 patients, Gov. Ned Lamont announced as the state reported a spike in positive tests.
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The Department of Workforce Development is expected to seek funds in the next state budget to update Wisconsin’s decades-old unemployment system, which officials say has hamstrung claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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North Olmsted councilmembers are debating the approval of a nearly $50,000 expenditure to upgrade 275 computers. The operating system of the existing city computers — Windows 7 — is no longer supported.
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Roughly $75,000 from the city’s $2.2 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act money will be used to extend Internet access for 800 low-income families throughout the city.
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As the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need to be online, North Olmsted, Ohio, is considering a proposed $47,000 ordinance for the purchase of more than 275 new computers, expected to pass next month.
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The adoption of a new statewide threat intelligence platform will enable Oklahoma's IT agency to better share information about bad actors with the other public entities throughout the state.
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The city of Dayton has issued a notice of funding opportunities saying it has $1.4 million in federal CARES Act dollars available to expand broadband access to multiple neighborhoods throughout the city.
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The acceptance of a state grant aimed at bolstering electric vehicle charging infrastructure has inspired opposition among city leaders who don’t agree on where the chargers should be placed.
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Cambria County commissioners have approved a more than $1 million plan to expand broadband services in the northern part of the county. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need for connectivity.
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A new article in Telecommunications Policy presents evidence that local areas generally fare better when states award broadband money to providers and allow municipalities to get into the broadband business.
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Once considered the donation method for fringe supporters, cryptocurrency seems to be getting more popular in the broader political arena. Some, however, worry the digital currency is a way to skirt campaign finance laws.
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Workers have started the process of building out the $2.5 million project that officials hope will make high-speed Internet available to every home and business in the city by the end of next year.
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Officials are expecting a major return on the investment in the new LED lighting, which they believe will significantly decrease electric costs that range around $8,200 per month for the city-owned facilities.
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Rock Falls, Ill., is collaborating with Surf Air Wireless on the FiberNet broadband network that serves the city, and a measure under discussion by the city council would see the city sell a portion of the network.
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The county council unanimously approved the first step in purchasing body cameras and in-vehicle cameras for deputies of the Sheriff’s Office this week. The first five years of the program will cost roughly $9.2 million.
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State and local governments are incrementally working back toward the employment levels they saw before the pandemic, but one organization points out that many job losses have been permanent.
