04-11-1990 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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RESOLUTION URGING SUPPORT 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 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 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 declares its support for the restoration of local regulatory authority over cable television systems; PAGE 109