CUB Helps Secure $3.5 Million for Phone and Internet Support
Posted on June 16, 2020 by Samuel Pastrick
Tags, Telecommunications
Widespread and affordable “phone” (traditional landline, wireless, satellite, voice over internet protocol) and broadband (high-speed internet) services are key elements to education, employment, social engagement, civic participation, and medical care. This is especially true during an economic and public health crisis like COVID-19, and even more so for low-income households.
When COVID-19 hit Oregon, CUB acted quickly by proposing additional resources to the Oregon Telephone Assistance Program (OTAP), the state’s longstanding complement to the federal Lifeline program. OTAP and Lifeline help low-income Oregon households pay for their phone or broadband service from traditional telecommunications utilities like CenturyLink and Ziply Fiber (formerly Frontier), as well as certain wireless providers.
On June 5, the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board unanimously approved CUB’s proposal to allocate 3.5 million federal COVID-19 relief dollars to boost OTAP. Because the $3.5 million is linked to short-term federal recovery investments, this initial $3.5 million must be spent before the end of the 2020.
CUB focused on OTAP because it is an established anti-poverty program. OTAP provides $3.50 in addition to $9.25 in federal Lifeline program support per eligible, low-income household, per month. The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) administers OTAP. The $3.5 million “boost” the program will allow the PUC to raise Oregon’s monthly contribution to at least $12.00, resulting in a combined federal and state subsidy of over $20 per month through the end of this year for tens-of-thousands of low-income Oregon households.
Many Oregonians are hurting right now, and economic impacts of COVID-19 will persist for some time. In a time of crisis – particularly one like COVID-19 that represents a damaging combination of economic and public health devastation – low-income households suffer the first and greatest, and are least positioned for an eventual recovery. This is why the state’s decision to invest in OTAP is so important.
CUB applauds both the Joint Emergency Board for the approval of our proposal, and the PUC for administration of OTAP, especially in this time of crisis.
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09/05/22 | 0 Comments | CUB Helps Secure $3.5 Million for Phone and Internet Support