'It's a matter of survival': City looks to provide free internet for thousands of Sacramento residents

Lonnie Wong reports

ORDERS EXPOSED AN EQUAL ACCESSISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO VITALSERVICES.

FOX FORTY'S LONNYWONG REPORTS.HE DIDN'T TAKE LONG FORSACRAMENTO SCHOOL DISTRICTS TOFIND OUT THE THOUSANDS OFSTUDENTS HAD NO COMPUTERS ANDEVEN IF THEY DID THEY COULDAFFORD INTERNET ACCESS.

CITYCOUNCIL MEMBERS DISCOVEREDTHAT THE DIGITAL HAVE NOT WONWITH YOUNG FAMILIES WITHSCHOOLCHILDREN COLLEGESTUDENTS ISOLATED SENIORS WHOCAN'T GET FOOD DELIVERIES.

OAKHE PENNED A BIG INFORMATIONAND THOSE WHO JUST CAN'TAFFORD THE INTERNET SERVICETHEY ALL STRUGGLE WITHINFORMATION SOME TAKE FORGRANTED HAVING ACCESS TO THEINTERNET IN YOUR HOME IS NOLONGER A MATTER OF CONVENIENCERATHER A MATTER OF SURVIVALWHICH IS WHY THE CITY COUNCILAGREED TO SPEND HALF A MILLIONDOLLARS OF FEDERAL STIMULUSMONEY.TO ADD ON TO AN EMERGENCYPROGRAM COMCAST QUICKLY PUTINTO PLACE FOR LOW INCOMERESIDENTS COMCAST PROVIDES 2MONTHS OF FREE INTERNET THENCHARGES $10 A MONTH THEREAFTERWE WILL HELP YOU PAY FOR 6MONTHS AFTER YOUR FIRST 2, 3,MONTHS WITH COMCAST.GET 10,000 PEOPLE IN THECITY OF SACRAMENTO CONNECTEDTHROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR 2020,000 BASIC COMPUTERS WILLALSO BE PROVIDED FOR THOSE WHONEED THEM.IT'S PART OF THE CITY'SLARGER COMMITMENT TO GIVE ASTEP UP FOR LOW INCOME ANDDISADVANTAGED RESIDENTS IF YOUDON'T HAVE TO ACCESS TO THEINTERNET YOU JUST SAW HIMFURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND AMAYOR DARRELL STEINBERG SAYSIT'S AN INVESTMENT IN THEFUTURE ECONOMIC HEALTH OF THECITY DID YOU KNOW ECONOMY.IF THEY DON'T HAVE A GOINGTO GET STARTED.THE KEY QUESTION IS WHATWILL HAPPEN AFTER 6 MONTHSWHEN THE FREE INTERNET PROGRAMRUNS ITS COURSE IF WHAT CITYCOUNCIL MEMBERS SAY IS TRUETHE NEED WILL STILL BE THERETHEY BUT SAYS IT'S A DOWNPAYMENT FOR THE FUTURE THATWON'T BE ABANDONED WE WON'TCOME BACK WAS ONCE WE GETSTARTED.IN SACRAMENTO, LONNIE WONG