Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | April 1, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 21 Congress must act to ensure digital equity BY JAMES T. BRETT Special to WBJ I n our 21st century modern society, the importance of high-speed internet for every individual cannot be un- derstated. Internet access enables people to job search and engage in remote work. It enables students of all ages to access remote learning to prepare for the jobs of the fu- ture. It expands access to quality and affordable healthcare through telehealth. It is key to economic wellbeing. For far too many households, the cost of high-speed internet access is a significant barrier. Fortunately, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 authorized a program called the Affordable Connectivity Program, providing a monthly sub- sidy of $30 for eligible households to use for broadband internet and a one-time $100 benefit toward the purchase of a tablet, laptop, or other internet device. Since its launch in December 2021, ACP has helped 23 million American households gain access to affordable broadband, including nearly 370,000 in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, funding for the program is expected to run out as soon as April. Should Congress not extend funding for the ACP, the impact on digital equity goals would be significant. is funding shortfall comes at a time when other major investments in digital equity are underway. e Broadband Equity Access Deployment program – also born of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – will provide $42.5 billion for broadband buildout to increase access nationwide. If the ACP runs out of funds and households cannot afford a connection in newly built out areas, the BEAD program could be in peril. In January, bipartisan legislation was introduced in both the House and Senate to extend funding for the ACP. It would infuse $7 billion into the program. e proposal has particularly strong support in the House, with 180 co-sponsors, including the Bay State's own Congresspeople Jake Auchincloss, Stephen Lynch, Jim McGovern, Seth Moulton, Ayanna Pressley, and Lori Trahan. e Biden Administration has called for ex- tending ACP funding, sending Congress a supplemental request for $6 billion in October. Hundreds of other groups, including the National Governors Association, the AARP, the U.S Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, have expressed support for extending ACP funding. In January, e New England Council was proud to add our name to the long list of supporters. Congress certainly has a variety of complex issues to confront in the months ahead – from passing government funding, to grappling with conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. But extending funding for the ACP should be a no-brainer. It is imperative we work to close the dig- ital divide in across the U.S. and ensure equitable internet access for all Americans. James T. Brett is the president and CEO of e New England Council, a regional alliance of businesses, nonprofits, and health and educational institutions dedicated to supporting economic growth and quality of life in New England. It's the workforce, stupid H eading into the 1992 U.S. presidential election, Democratic strategist James Carville famously coined the phrase "It's the economy, stupid" on how voters would decide between incum- bent George Bush and newcomer Bill Clinton. And he was right, as the health of the economy or at least how people feel about it, has been a central focus of national elections ever since. e engine powering the economy comes down to people: the number of them, talent level, and avail- ability of that workforce is the fuel helping companies grow, innovate new products, and operate efficiently. e skillset of our region's workforce has long been an advantage, with its higher levels of education and pro- ductivity. However, there are not enough of us these days. Especially in the post-COVID era, workforce shortages have become a major issue. Workforce shortages are nothing new for the man- ufacturing industry. For decades, manufacturers have been fighting against erroneous perceptions about their jobs being either dirty or low-paying, and too many companies not offering career growth opportu- nities. Today, that is far from reality, but most parents still aspire to send their children to college, rather than pursue the high-paying work available in manu- facturing and the trades. Players in the industry have done a decent job adjusting to workforce shortages. As an example, Leominster furniture maker AIS has created a productive and worker-centric culture help- ing it keep employment roles full, which is why the company is a recipient of WBJ's Workforce Develop- ment & Productivity Award, profiled in the Manufac- turing Excellence Awards starting on page 10. Still, if the Central Massachusetts economy is to expand, including in the strategically important life sciences industry, we need a more robust and educat- ed workforce. Chinese manufacturer WuXi Biologics is building a nearly 200,000-square-foot facility in Worcester and will need 250 employees when it opens in 2025. at's just the start of the wave of new life sciences companies economic development officials hope to entice to the region. Many of those workers are anticipated to be recent college grads, so it was alarming to see a report from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce finding 25% of residents aged 25 to 30 in Greater Boston are looking to leave in the next five years, due to rising rent, home prices, and job availability. While Central Mass. does maintain a price advantage over Boston, the housing and rental market here is incredibly tight, and those same frus- trations are likely being felt by our younger workforce. We can't afford an exodus of younger workers, and key to prevemt that is to make housing more affordable. NIMBY may be a proud Massachusetts tradition, but leaving development of more affordable housing options up to each town is insufficient. It was revealing to see the results of WBJ's March 25 poll about e MBTA Communities Act, which requires more multifamily zoning in communities served by the MBTA transit system; 58% of WBJ readers said the law was flawed and too coercive. Unfortunately, we don't see a viable option other than to back the imposition of more housing. It's a challenge impact- ing us all and may lead to the worst possible outcome: a more exacerbated workforce shortage. The above Editorial is the opinion of the WBJ Editorial Board. The Viewpoint column, the A Thousand Words cartoon, and the Word from the Web commentary represent the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of WBJ or its staff. WBJ welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Send them to bkane@wbjournal.com. James T. Brett W W

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