MADISON — Senator Eric Wimberger (R-Green Bay) released the following statement following the Joint Legislative Audit Committee’s (JLAC) public hearing on audit 22-11 relating to certain broadband expansion grant programs:
“I can’t assure my constituents the PSC is managing and overseeing the broadband expansion grant program appropriately. We all want high-quality, high-speed internet, but we need better record keeping and more transparency from the commission to back up our continued investment. Chairperson Valcq and the commission are relying on self-reporting as verification that projects are completed as contracted. Currently, there isn’t an effective method to confirm whether those self-reports are accurate, therefore leaving the program susceptible to unchecked abuse
“Wisconsin is set to potentially receive over $1 billion from the federal government for broadband expansion, so the issues raised by this audit are very concerning.”
In February of 2022, the JLAC unanimously voted to authorize an audit to evaluate how supplemental federal funds were allocated, the policies and procedures state agencies followed when spending and overseeing programs supported by these funds, the results attained by those programs and how agencies can improve the administration of supplemental federal funds in the future. The audit relating to certain broadband expansion grant programs is a result of this approved scope.
