Public Policy... Who... Us?

Why public policy? Why not just continue doing the work OCCN has done in the past? Provide support to Community Technology Centers in Ohio via our annual conference, VISTA Program, advice to existing and start up CTCs, peer networking, etc. Why not? Two Reasons:

1.) Because our membership told us what they need most is funding. And how else to establish permanent funding for community technology than through the government?

2.) Because digital equity is not only about Community Technology Centers. In June the OCCN membership decided to broaden OCCN's mission to include all community technology issues. We are now working on "full participation in a digital world".

Access to technology includes affordable ubiquitous access to broadband. How would one realistically expect to achieve this goal if not through involvement in public policy?

So what is the story? How did we go from providing services to public policy activists? It was not an automatic process. We stumbled around. OCCN started with state legislators. We got nowhere fast. And then a few big telecoms decided to merge. AT&T with SBC and Verizon with MCI. I got a call asking if I wanted to get involved in the PUCO hearings regarding these two mergers because I was now an “expert”. Really??? Hmmm, so then the question was… if I provided testimony this would reflect upon OCCN and any hope we had of future support from the telecoms would be gone. Were they doing anything for Community Technology Centers currently? No. Was getting involved the right thing to do? Yes. If folks on the ground do not speak up then those with expense accounts and golf buddies will control public policy. I provided testimony and I recruited others to provide testimony. Did we end up with any funding for Community Technology Centers? No. But what we did end up with was recognition. Locally and nationally. Hmm, we appear to have entered the public policy realm.

Next step? Do something with the momentum we had built among the partners involved in providing testimony to the PUCO. We decided to form the Ohio Digital Divide Working Group. We recruited additional partners. We set goals and objectives – not a quick task with lots of partner organizations. Goals:

1) Increase state support for technology training and access services for disadvantaged households being provided by Community Technology Programs throughout Ohio.

2) Make broadband Internet services available and affordable for home and small business users in every part of Ohio.

And then we decided the gubernatorial election was our best shot at getting something done. Nobody was more astounded than us when we ended up helping with the Strickland Broadband Platform which includes $5 million for Community Technology Centers. Still working with the Republican candidates. I’ll keep you posted.