Internet access priority for Allen

16 years ago

To the editor:
    On Susan Collins' Web site, there is a travel diary about Collins' trip across the state in a big bus. The site is supposed to be upgraded regularly, but Collins' campaign recently said that Internet access can be spotty and they may only be able to update the Web site in spurts.     Now Susan Collins knows how the rest of us feel.
    Many of us living in rural areas of Maine can't access high-speed Internet. It's just not available. Without high-speed Internet, it's harder to pay bills, download health forms, stay in touch with family, and keep our small businesses competitive. We need better rural broadband access in Maine and we need it now.
    Too bad Susan Collins voted against rural broadband expansion twice this spring. Right before Congress left Washington, Sen. Collins voted against a bipartisan bill cosponsored by her opponent Tom Allen that would have improved broadband Internet across the country.
    Tom Allen gets it. He understands how important high-speed Internet is to the people of Maine. He introduced a bill in Congress to invest in rural broadband access, included it in an expansive economic plan, and went over to Bucksport the other week to talk about the issue.
    I'm sure Susan Collins can access high-speed Internet easily in Washington, D.C., but it's not so easy for the rest of us. I'm glad Tom Allen is trying to change that.

David E. Hansell
Caribou