“As chair of the Assembly Libraries and Education Technology Committee, I am committed to ensuring each and every New Yorker has fair and equal access to the information and resources they need. Many residents, especially those in underserved communities, rely on our public libraries for dependable high-quality internet to look for jobs, connect with family and friends and do homework. Alarmingly, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) unfortunate decision to repeal net neutrality threatens this critical access. Internet service providers (ISPs) will be allowed to charge more for service, making it harder for public libraries, which are already on tight budgets, to provide the quality internet service community members rely on.

“This decision creates barriers to information and harms hardworking consumers, while boosting big telecommunications companies’ profits. It goes against values we hold dear, like fairness, freedom of information and equal opportunity. As we continue to watch this situation unfold, I’ll keep working to protect and strengthen our public libraries, and the communities they serve.”