HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 789 RESOLUTION FILE NO. --1--�--
A Resolutlon
WHE KAS, in the lnterest of its citizens and in keeping with r.he
expectations of quality,affordable service for residents, the City of Font
Worth has traditionally and historically regulated utilities and other
businesses which must use the public right-of-way to conduct their
business; and,
WHEREAS, many knowledgeable officials consider the cable industry a
ut.iltty because it is generally granted a monopoly to operate within municipal
boundaries; and,
WHEREAS, the cable company dispenses its services through a limited-
channel system, and because the cable company uses the public right-of-way
to hang coaxial cable; and
WHEREAS, cable television systems are considered "local" entities
because each and every system must be designed to reflect the community
it services, both in terms of its physical plant design and its programming
selections; and,
WHEREAS, Fort Worth is entering the final. stages of a long and deliberate
franchising process conducted to insure the system built meets the needs of as
many citizens as possible -- a process which has earned the City the honor of
being singled out as an "example of enlightened franchising"; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth took care during the franchising process
to insure that it chose a firm which offered a diversity of programming and a
level of service of the quality and caliber to which its residents are accustomed;
and,
WHEREAS, seven cable firms submitted competitive, free bids to Fort Worth
for its franchise, with full knowledge and understanding that they were competing
for the rights to provide cable communication services to residents under similar
rules and regulations which govern other franchise operations and such rules
and regulations were stated clearly in the Request for Proposals issued by the
City; and,
WHEREAS, a cable firm operating in Fort Worth will have the potential to
affect the health, safety and public welfare of citizens through programs and
services it offers; and,
WHEREAS, the consideration and approval of proposed rate increases
traditionally has been used by local governments to insure that residents at all.
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economic levels have access to services at the lowest reasonable cost; and,
WHEREAS, the philosophy under the Reaggu--a-dm1n.istration`',of dealing with
problems at the lowest level of government apex; appropriate for cable matters
because each system must be designed to meet liocal interests and concerns and not
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L'11'Y OF FORT r1/ORTH
those of Federal agencies or Legislative bodies; and
WHEREAS, the U. S. Senate Committee on Commerro, Science and Transportation
approved Senate Bill 898 deal Int; with telephone and,
WHEREAS, amendments concerning cable television regulation were unexpectedly
attached to. Senate Bill 898 only two days prior to tl►e committee vote, then sent
to the Full Senate, thereby barring any meaningful and thorough public discussion
of the issue; and,
WHEREAS, these amendments effectively strip local government, including the
City of Fort Worth, of its authority to regulate a local cable franchise by
(1) prohibiting the regulation of rates by local., state or federal authorities, and
by (2) directing the FCC to set a nationwide ceiling on the franchise fee which a
city can require a cable company to pay for use of the public right-of-way, and
by (3) ordering the owners of utility poles to make these poles available at
"reasonable" rates to cable companies;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOIXED that members of Congress and other interested
and concerned parties be advised that the City of Fort Worth's City Council
adopts the following position:
1. That all efforts be used immediately by congressional representatives
of Fort Worth residents to remove the objectionable language from
Senate Bill 898, and, in keeping with the emerging philosophy of this
country, that Congress insure that regulatory powers over the cable
industry be left at the local level;
2. That the same representatives direct the appropriate Senate and House
committees to begin considering separate and independent legislation
to address the legal and technical problems which are brought by the
advent of cable communications; and
3. That the appropriate Senate and House committees be directed to provide
ample time for the free and thorough public debate of the issues
surrounding the regulation of the cable industry in which municipal
officials and citizens can participate.
CI
Ci
CT" OF FORT WORTH