$15 Million Set Aside For Broadband In Pierce County

TACOMA, WA — The Pierce County Council is moving forward with a proposal to use federal funding to help bring broadband internet to the county's most underserved residents.

The council on Tuesday voted in favor of a proposal to spend $15 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to address broadband access gaps in rural parts of the county.

“In this economy, hi-speed broadband has become a necessity, but too many people lack access to this public good," said Pierce County Council Chair Derek Young. "The bold investment we’re making today will connect these communities with opportunities and build the backbone for future investments.”

According to the council, that funding will be used to support local partnerships, act as seed money for broadband expansion, and match grant requests to improve services to underserved areas. The council notes that, while Pierce County does not provide internet as a public utility, it does manage the many permitting and legal processes necessary to expand broadband, and will be able to help through those avenues.

Other spending approved Tuesday included $8 million in further grants to small businesses. Of that funding, $4 million will go to an "Innovation Grants" program to help small businesses adapt to the changing market and post-pandemic life. The remainder will go to professional services programs offering tax and legal advice or web and graphic services.

"As we reopen our economy, many businesses across Pierce County still face impacts from the prolonged economic uncertainty, broken supply chains and changing markets," said Councilmember Marty Campbell, who proposed Tuesday's small business spending. "This funding supports entrepreneurial innovation and investment to stabilize businesses and prepare them for success."

Other spending approved by the council includes $5 million to buy hotel and motel spaces to combat the housing and homelessness crisis, $1 million for a Muster Seed Project supporting seniors on the Key Peninsula, and $500,000 for a new county agricultural facility.

In total, Pierce County will be allocated $175 million through the American Rescue Plan Act, though so far only $88 million has arrived. The council first tapped into that money back in spring, approving the use of $50.5 million for immediate pandemic relief. Roughly $8.6 million of the initial $88 million payment remains unspent, the council said.