Will federal funding close the broadband gap for good?

On this week’s episode of the Priorities Podcast, Colorado Chief Information Officer Tony Neal-Graves offers his assessment of how his state can close the broadband gap with the influx of federal government funding from the American Rescue Plan and infrastructure package. The CIO tells StateScoop’s Colin Wood that if Colorado can’t connect all of its unconnected residents with the funding, the governor “should fire all of us.”

Chris Mitchell, the director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, says the funding should indeed be enough, assuming “states are smart” with how they spend the money.

Maryland CIO Michael Leahy talks about his time as a radio DJ and part-owner of a recording studio. Leahy says he still makes music in his spare time.

In the news this week:

Phil Wittmer is stepping down as Virginia’s CIO after less than a month on the job.

New York state is opening a “state of the art” cybersecurity facility in Brooklyn to serve as an operations center for state and local cybersecurity needs.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is requesting the city reverse its ordinance banning facial recognition.

StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast is available every Thursday. Listen more here.

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