Otter Knew About IEN Woes

Gov. Butch Otter knew for months that the federal government had withheld funding for Idaho’s now-failed school broadband program, but lawmakers remained in the dark until much later, the AP reports. According to a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Otter wrote to one of the program’s contractors on Nov. 4, 2013, that federal funding —known as “e-rate” dollars which come from monthly fees on landline and cellphone bills— had stopped because of a recent whistleblower complaint regarding the state’s $60 million statewide broadband contract. However, state lawmakers weren’t informed until near or after the start of the 2014 legislative session in January/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise. More here.

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