U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. |
Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker, a New Jersey senator, unveiled a plan Friday to build "wealth and opportunity" in rural America. Here are some of the highlights:
- Ensure affordable housing by increasing the supply of affordable housing units and capping rental costs.
- Guarantee access to broadband internet service.
- Invest $2 trillion in infrastructure.
- Support rural public schools, including free pre-kindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds, more funding for special-needs students, and better pay for teachers.
- Launch the "City 2030 Project" to boost the economies of rural areas near cities.
- Help rural businesses and small family farms compete better with large businesses by blocking mergers and other practices that discourage competition.
- Expand access to credit and venture capital for rural businesses.
- Reform the "opportunity zones" tax incentives to better help rural areas.
- Develop a trade policy that holds China accountable but helps American farmers.
- Encourage rural entrepreneurship with a seed-money grant program.
- Invest in rural cooperatives.
- Expand local food systems and farmers markets.
- Reform commodity checkoff programs.
- End abuse of small-refinery waivers for the Renewable Fuel Standard program.
- Invest over $100 billion by 2030 in existing conservation programs.
- Substantially increase funding for the Rural Energy for America program to aid in the transition to renewable energy.
- Increase the numbers of minority farmers and help farmers of color in danger of losing their land because of informal property deeds.
- Reduce the numbers of concentrated animal feeding operations.
The Rural Blog reports major statements by presidential candidates about rural policy.
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