HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCRes_90-20No.
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS
• C O U N C I L R E S O L U T I O N
Date
R-90-20
May 9, 1990
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RESOLUTION URGING SDPPORT FOR THE RESTORATION
OF LOCAL REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEMS
WHEREAS, The Cable Communications Acts of 1984 restricted states' and local
governments' abilities to regulate the Cable Television Industry directly; and
WHEREAS, Since the passage of the Cable Communications Act of 1984, concentrations
of ownership amounting to monopolies have increased among cable television operations
though that Act was intended to "promote competition in cable communications and
minimize unnecessary regulations that impose undue economic burden on cable
systems;" and
WHEREAS, Municipalities throughout the nation, including this one, have been
subjected to substantial rate increases, service reductions, and programming
changes that do not reflect consumers' needs or the original intentions of their
franchise agreements; and
• WHEREAS, More than half of the nation's households and more than 32 percent
of the residents of this City subscribe to cable, and television is
increasingly becoming the main means of access to information and entertainment, and
WHEREAS, Cable subscribers in this City have been subjected to rate increases of
over 40 percent over the past four years, as well as increases in the costs of
remote control units, late fee charges, elimination of Senior Citizen rates,
and installations; and
WHEREAS, Cable television is rapidly being priced beyond the reach of lower income
people, including families with children, and the elderly who are particularly
in need of information and other services that are available solely through cable
television; and
Moved by Councilmember Wallin
YEAS Nays
~ '~ALDWIN
v CIERNIA
~GEHRZ .
~~WALLIN
• ~/JACOBS
5 in Favor
0 Against
Approved by r ,."~_ ~~i~~~~c-_
Mayor
May 9, 1990
at,
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Attested by ~(ii! ~ ~1~_t~L~~~~
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City yerk
May 9, 1..990
Date
Adopted by Council May 9, 1990
•
-2-
WHEREAS, the diversity of information services promised by the 1984 Cable
Communications Act has failed to materilize; and
WHEREAS, the promise of universal service similarly has not been fulfilled; and
WHEREAS, Existing law provides this City and other franchising authorities no
authority to control or question the imposition by cable franchisees of exorbitant
rates upon citizens whose rights-of-way have been placed at the companies' disposal
by virtue of the grant of franchises; and
WHEREAS, The National League of Cities has adopted policies in favor of increasing
local governments' cable regulatory authority and in favor of more competition in
the provision of cable television services to consumers; and
WHEREAS, Legislation that is now pending in the Congress seeks comprehensive changes
in the Cable Communications Act of 1984;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the City Council of the City of r^a:~co~ Heights
declares its support for the restoration of local regulatory authority over cable
television systems;