Today Salem County celebrates the groundbreaking of its high speed Internet expansion program. Meanwhile, large parts of rural Cumberland County remain without high speed Internet. Some rural neighborhoods, including mine in Downe Township, still lack reliable cell service, public water, and sewer. A national magazine article recently ranked our area unfavorably alongside parts of Appalachia on these basic services.
When the federal government offered partial funding to expand Internet access here, I personally called and wrote to each Cumberland County freeholder (now called commissioner). They voted against expanding Internet service to our rural communities. The City of Vineland has since pursued its own broadband funding, but the county’s rural townships have been left to wait. Since that vote, I have focused on supporting commissioner candidates who will commit to bringing high speed Internet to Cumberland County’s low income rural residents.