A group affiliated with the Koch brothers' powerful political network is leading an online campaign against Mayor Greg Fischer's $5.4 million proposal to expand Louisville’s ultra-fast internet access.
"Fundamentally, we don't believe that taxpayers should be funding broadband or internet systems," said David Williams, president of the taxpayers alliance, which is part of industrialists Charles and David Koch's political donor network.
The group says $5.4 million is a misuse of taxpayer funds when the city has other needs, such as infrastructure and public safety.
According to ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative newsroom, the group is part of a “constellation of dark money” organizations that have received millions of dollars from the Koch brothers’ network.
Williams said the group receives funding from "a lot of different sources," including groups affiliated with the Koch brothers.
He said the group is considering a more traditional lobbying campaign ahead of the budget's approval, which is expected June 22.
She told members Google has "been very careful to not share too much about what their network deployment plans are.". »