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new technologies to flourish while <br />preserving local regulatory authority. <br />Regulations and oversight of <br />telecommunication services are important <br />prerogatives for local government to <br />advance community interests, including <br />the provision of high quality basic <br />services that meet local needs, spur <br />economic development, and are available <br />at affordable rates to all consumers. <br />Policies should not diminish local <br />authority to manage public rights-of-way, <br />to zone, to collect compensation for the <br />use of public assets, or to work <br />cooperatively with the private sector. The <br />League opposes the adoption of state and <br />federal policies that restrict cities' ability <br />to finance, construct, and operate <br />telecommunications networks. <br />LE -18. Broadband <br />Issue: State broadband goals were <br />established during the 2010 legislative <br />session under Minn. Stat. § 237.012 to <br />achieve minimum standards for statewide <br />broadband deployment and speed goals by <br />2015. Although incremental progress has <br />been made, the state is not will not meet the <br />statutorily outlined goals. <br />Cities play a vital role in achieving <br />significantly higher broadband speeds and <br />municipal broadband has helped lead the <br />way. Local units of government are <br />contributing to increasing broadband <br />capacity and ensuring interne connectivity, <br />reliability, and availability. However, <br />attempts have been made in Minnesota and <br />other states to restrict or stop cities from <br />facilitating the deployment of broadband <br />services or forming partnerships with private <br />sector companies to provide broadband <br />services to unserved or underserved <br />residents or businesses. Restricting <br />municipal authority is contrary to existing <br />state law on electric utility service, <br />telecommunications, and economic <br />development. <br />Response: The Legislature, governor's <br />office, and state agencies must make it a <br />priority and act promptly to develop <br />policies and support programs that <br />substantially increase speed and capacity <br />of broadband services statewide, <br />including facilitating solutions at the local <br />level. <br />To achieve these goals, the Legislature <br />and state agencies should: <br />a) Identify and implement actions for the <br />state to reach and maintain a position <br />in the top five states for broadband <br />speed that is universally accessible to <br />residents and businesses; <br />b) Encourage public/private <br />collaboration, including partnerships <br />and cooperation in providing last -mile <br />connections; <br />c) Support measures to authorize and <br />encourage cities and other local units <br />of government to play a direct role in <br />providing broadband services; <br />d) Remove barriers to the exercise of <br />local authority to provide such <br />services, including repeal of Minn. <br />Stat. § 237.19, that requires a <br />supermajority voter approval for the <br />provision of local phone service by a <br />local unit of government; <br />e) Offer incentives to private sector <br />service providers to respond to local <br />or regional needs and to collaborate <br />with cities and other public entities to <br />deploy broadband infrastructure <br />capable of delivering sufficient <br />bandwidth and capacity to meet <br />immediate and future local needs; <br />f) Clarify that cities have the authority <br />to partner with private entities to <br />finance broadband infrastructure <br />using city bonding authority; <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2016 City Policies Page 57 <br />