To: Governor Ritter, Colorado Congressional Delegation, Assistant US Secretary of Commerce Strickling, President Obama

I, the undersigned, strongly support approval and 100\% funding by the US Department of Commerce of the Comprehensive Community Infrastructure Grant Application dated March 26, 2010 for approximately $146 million (the Application). The Colorado Community Anchors Broadband Consortium (the Consortium) submitted the Application in cooperation with an affiliated organization, Educational Access Gateway Learning Environment Network (EAGLE-Net). Further, I authorize the Rotary Clubs of Colorado to immediately deliver my signature on this petition to Governor Ritter, Senators Bennet and Udall, the Representative in the US House currently representing my district (based on my county of residence noted herein), Assistant US Secretary of Commerce Strickling and President Obama.

Colorados K-12 public schools throughout the state, in each and every rural portion of the state as well as in nearly all districts in the metropolitan areas along the Front Range, have woefully inadequate Internet access and are also far behind neighboring states. It is simply not economic for private enterprise to make such an investment and Colorados constitutionally restricted budgeting process precludes state government from doing so. The only viable way to bring adequate Internet access/capacity to our K-12 public school districts in a reasonable period of time is by approval and implementation of the Application.

Additionally, not only will a variety of other parties needing improved Internet access/capacity (e.g., first responders, healthcare facilities, local governments and cultural facilities) be directly connected if the Application is approved, but also virtually all Colorado Internet users, including residences and businesses, are expected to ultimately benefit since local Internet service providers will then be able to cost-effectively provide such access/capacity by connecting to the middle mile network that approval of the Application will fund.