Both the Department of Public Instruction and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin wrote briefs(if you want to call them brief) to submit in relation to the Telecommunications Act.
In essence, the DPI spokesperson stated that Wisconsin schools have a hard time dealing with the ongoing costs incurred with providing access, that public libraries are natural sites to provide the general public with access, and that funding need to be made available to libraries and schools to provide access to the Internet.
The PSC cited much technical language and in essence offered discounts to eligible institutions. In essence the discounts offered were minimal and would be gone after four years under their proposal.
Comment:
I disagree with the DPI assessment that schools can afford the infrastructure of the internet, etc. Building referendums do not have a very successfully track record in our state or in the nation at large, and right now referendums are the major source of funding for such projects.
The PSC proposal in ludicrous. On the one hand eligible institutions should be given discounts, but their proposal limits the discounts. Further, the institutions in question, if they are to continue use of the overall system do need ongoing funding to maintain access.
It boils down to money. How much will it cost and where will the funds come from?
Submitted respectfully,
Tim Mocarski
Burlington High School
Burlington, WI
tmocars@execpc.com