HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 90-017 RESOLUTION URGING SUPPORT FOR THE RESTORATION OF LOCAL REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEMS Meeting Sheet
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Box: 26
Folder: RES 1990
Document: CC RES 90-017 RESOLUTION URGING SUPPORT FOR THE
RESTORATION OF LOCAL REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER CABLE
TELEVISION SYSTEMS
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• RESOLUTION 90-017
A 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
• 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
WHEREAS, the diversity of information services promised by the
1984 Cable Communications Act has failed to materialize;
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
•
impositionby cable franchisees of exorbitant rates upon
citizens whose rights-of-way have been placed at the
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• 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 St. Anthony declares its support for the
restoration of local regulatory authority over cable
television systems .
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the congress of the United
States should rewrite the Cable Communications Policy Act
of 1984 with particular focus on reregulation of
subscriber rates, allowance of telephone company
provision of cable service under the circumstances that
respect local government authority, system ownership
transfers, the impact of vertical integration in the
• cable industry, and other aspects of the Act that
directly impact local regulation and consumers.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,the City Council of the City of
St. Anthony urges congressional action for appropriate
federal legislation to restore local authority over cable
systems to eliminate the barriers to competition, and to
rectify other aspects of the 1984 Act that work to
disfavor cable consumers.�n
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Adopted this day of t 1 I)r , 1990 .
Mayor Pro Tem
ATTEST: 1 �
City Cle k
Reviewed for administration:
City Manager
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