Florida Could See Increased Technology Investment and Job Growth
(Tallahassee, FL) – Citizens for a Digital Future (CDF) hosted a press conference today during which Hance Haney, Director and Senior Fellow of the Technology & Democracy Project at the Discovery Institute, released his study “Reform Florida Telecom Law: Regulation threatens jobs and harms consumers.” Haney’s study examines the link between Florida’s telecommunication’s laws and the state’s economic health.
“Public policies like updating Florida telecommunications laws can lead to a bright future for Florida with increasing development to broadband,” said Christina Johnson, Senior Advisor to CDF. “Haney’s study emphasizes that telecom reform could mean more broadband, which will create jobs and spur economic growth and opportunities for Florida. In tough times like these we can’t say no to opportunities to encourage investment in Florida’s economy and get folks back to work.”
The study examines the effect that Florida’s current telecom laws have on broadband availability and use. His study predicts that increased broadband availability in Florida could create new technological opportunities and economic efficiencies that could spark $7.5 billion in growth and investment as well as add an estimated 143,405 jobs to the state’s economy.
“Many state governments, including Florida, still maintain obsolete regulatory practices that no longer serve the public interest, but actually work against it,” said Robert Sanchez, Policy Director of the James Madison Institute. “If Florida is to compete in a global economy it must do what smart businesses do: It must adapt.”
About Citizens for a Digital Future
Citizens for a Digital Future is a coalition of non-profit organizations and industry members that recognizes that adoption of and access to broadband technology — and its enhancements — has become increasingly critical to the environment, education, economic development and health care, among others. Its members support and advance public policies that encourage transparency, broad deployment and robust enhancement of broadband and digital technologies.
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