Economic Development Objective

Key Points:

• Provide broadband infrastructure opportunities to previously unserved areas
• Increase potential economic diversification through enhanced connectivity
• Identify remote work and learning, telehealth, and public safety opportunities
• Expand utilization of broadband to low-income users through the Affordable Connectivity Program/Lifeline subsidy

Small Business Perspective:

The economic development objective's failure to include any specific programs or initiatives for small rural businesses is a missed opportunity of staggering proportions. The vague mention of "potential economic diversification" without any concrete plans or examples suggests a lack of serious consideration for how broadband can be leveraged to support local businesses.

Big Business Perspective:

The economic development objective appears to be more about creating a pool of low-cost remote workers for out-of-state corporations than about fostering local economic growth. The emphasis on remote work opportunities without corresponding support for local business development suggests that the primary beneficiaries will be large companies looking to tap into rural labor markets without making significant local investments.

Rural Impact:

The vague nature of the economic development objectives, particularly the lack of specificity around "identifying" telehealth and public safety opportunities, suggests a lack of serious planning. Given that telehealth and public safety applications of broadband have been well-established for years, the need to "identify" these opportunities seems more like political lip service than a genuine strategy. This approach risks turning rural Idaho into a source of cheap labor for call centers or freelance work platforms, rather than fostering sustainable local economic development. Moreover, the plan fails to address how it will ensure that remote work opportunities benefit local rural Idahoans rather than attracting high-paid workers from outside the state, which could lead to increased housing costs and displacement of long-term residents.