Gov. Kristi Noem is recommending the South Dakota spend $100 million to fully connect the state to broadband internet access over the next few years.

The proposal expects to attract another $100 million in funds from others sources, especially the federal government and the telecom companies operating in South Dakota. The $200 million is expected to be enough to build the infrastructure to make broadband available to every corner of the state.

Those who us who have had broadband access for many years probably don't know the challenges of those who don't. Frankly, it's become a necessity in today's business and education worlds, and someday even residential life.

With low population density in parts of South Dakota, providers of broadband often cannot justify construction. They can't receive enough in revenue from users to pay for the system.

Noem pointed out that over the last two years, the Connect SD program has devoted nearly $17 million to broadband projects, which in turn leveraged roughly $35 million in federal money and $37 million in industry money, for a total investment of just shy of $89 million in broadband in South Dakota. That's a return of more than $5.50 for every $1 invested in broadband by the state.

But that investment was probably in some of the slightly unprofitable areas. The very unprofitable areas are likely going to require a more generous subsidy.

The word subsidy can be tricky, with some people asking why South Dakotans as a whole should help pay for broadband construction for a portion of our state, specifically the more rural businesses and schools.

Here's the answer: we're all in this together, and we need all South Dakotans to have an opportunity for success in school and in business. Small towns in South Dakota, in particular, need successful businesses and farms. In some cases, people could live in rural South Dakota and work remotely for big companies far away, providing a boost to sparsely populated parts of the state, including tribal communities.

Noem's proposal is bold, and we think appropriate. Just like Gov. Bill Janklow's proposal to wire the schools a generation ago was forward-looking, we think the current project is investing in a brighter future for our state.

-- Jon M. Hunter