This appears to be an an ideal time for Gov. Lujan Grisham to attempt a course correction in how rural New Mexico will finally gain full internet access.  

She has grown tired of her acting director at the Broadband Office, Drew Lovelace, and sent him back to his previous position as operations manager. A search has been launched for a new director.

The change comes in the wake of the legislature failing to approve a special $70 million appropriation for home satellite internet, a proposal that percolated up because of the many years it is taking to lay expensive fiber optic lines in rural areas. The $70 million was a stop-gap measure, providing internet to 95,000 locations while they waited for fiber.

Frankly, we missed that the money had not been approved. Without it the long process of installing fiber--with $675 million in federal grant money--is the only option. Doing so is expected to take years and some places will never be served because of accessibility issues. 

President Trump's Commerce Department is not a fan of the all-fiber playbook, announcing in March they are rewriting the rules that federal funding go only to fiber and will assist the states to implement satellite delivery.

That's an opportunity the state should not pass up since it would mean high speed internet for deprived households in the here and now--not years from now or possibly never. 

The telecommunications lobby whose major companies lay down the expensive fiber is powerful and resistance to satellite remains vigorous even though satellite speeds are more than adequate for the vast majority of rural residents including students needing to advance their educations.

Santa Fe was  obviously wrong in rejecting the $70 million for satellite to get the ball rolling. Their constituents are being punished. Perhaps that's because Elon Musk, reviled by Democrats, owns Starlink, the leading company for satellite internet.

Whatever the reason, the door is open for the Governor to start putting things right with a new Broadband Director who can go back to the drawing board with the legislature but also have an open mind in dealing with DC to get those federal broadband funds redirected. 

Why should New Mexico's next generation be sold short while bureaucrats, Musk opponents and stubborn legislators deprive them of a vital educational tool? They shouldn't.

MONAHAN RADIO

The mayoral races in ABQ and Santa Fe, the contest for Governor and all things in between are covered in this lively 20 minute radio interview on KTRC Santa Fe with Joe Monahan and host Richard Eeds. 

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.