Senate Journal: Page 59: Tuesday, January 9, 2001

  To reflect the priority that I believe we should place on this effort, I
  propose in the
  budget presented to you an initial first-year investment of $40 million in
  new state
  dollars.  I propose that we make this significant investment now, in the
  form of a
  supplemental appropriation, before any other budget decisions are made.

  We must all work together, in a bipartisan way, to transform our system.
  But this
  level of first-year funding will show real commitment.  Appropriating
  first-year funding
  now shows the depth of that commitment-a commitment to change and to
  leadership
  in the new economy.

  Last year, a team of talented Iowans showed their own commitment to change
  and
  to leadership with a blueprint for Iowa's future in the next ten years.  Led
  by David
  Oman, a Republican, and Betsy Brandsgard, a Democrat, these bold thinkers
  made
  many recommendations for action.  One of the principal recommendations
  revolved
  around their conclusion that by the year 2010, Iowans should be
  electronically
  connected to each other and to the world.  They predicted that our access to
  emerging
  technologies would move Iowa to the forefront in education, e-commerce,
  medicine, and
  e-government.  They predicted a revitalized new economy for Iowa, built on
  technology.

  Creating a new economy and leading it will require affordable access to the
  Internet
  and other advanced telecommunications services-for all Iowans.

  During my walk across Iowa, I visited many great small communities like
  Turin,
  Iowa, population 75.  Sixty years ago, the leaders of that community made
  the decision
  not to invest in the new technology of that era-sanitary sewers.  That
  decision has
  impact yet today, for the community cannot attract a convenience store that
  would
  make access to basic groceries more convenient.  We have a chance to bring
  the world
  to the people of Turin, and hundreds of similar-sized communities, and help
  make Iowa
  a leader in the new economy.  But we must move now to bring emerging
  technologies
  everywhere in Iowa at a price we can afford.  In order for all Iowans to
  have that
  affordable access, there must be a strong, collaborative partnership between
  the public
  and private sectors.

  Today, I ask for your support for the development of an Advanced
  Telecommunications Alliance.  This alliance would bring public and private
  sector
  leaders in telecommunications together in a formal structure to design an
  advanced
  telecommunications service plan for Iowa.  At this inception, we should
  challenge this
  new alliance to electronically link all Iowans with each other and with the
  world by
  2005-a full five years before the prediction of the Strategic Planning
  Council.

  I am confident that those telecommunications leaders will get the job done,
  if
  Iowans understand the enormous opportunities that such connections allow.
  Achieving
  that understanding will be easier if technical planning and assistance,
  identifying the
  benefits of being connected, is available.

  To help communities access that planning and technical assistance, we should
  create a fund-a Digital Communities Account.  Making resources available to
  communities through the account will accelerate the understanding of the
  importance
  and the potential of being connected.  Such an understanding will create the
  demand
  for services to which the private sector will respond.  When that occurs,
  every Iowan,
  from grandparents wishing to e-mail their grandchildren to large business
  owners or

© 2001 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

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