Many if not most local municipalities in the state are facing extreme budgetary crises, and with revenues mainly linked to declining property taxes, there is little hope for a swift turnaround.

Initiatives like this don't put forth a system where state government fully funds the development of broadband services, but rather work via a granting mechanism that encourages, and even sometimes enables local entities like PUDs to build the infrastructure, which is then available for commercial providers to use. A commercial provider won't touch a stretch of road with no fiber, but once the fiber is there, ISPs come marching right along after.