Blog note: this letter references a grand jury report.
Cable television companies like Comcast conduct their business in the public right-of-way and for decades have paid fees to cities for that privilege. Now Trump’s FCC and Comcast believe they are paying too much, and Marin government is up in arms about potential lost revenues. I’m no fan of either the FCC or Comcast, but let’s unpack this story.
The Marin Telecommunications Agency receives $4.3 million each year in cable franchise fees, which are collected by Comcast from cable television subscribers on their monthly invoices and passed through to the MTA. Comcast wants to reduce those fees to remain at parity with their competitors. The MTA claims this takes money out of the pockets of local governments and puts it in the pockets of cable operators and their shareholders. That’s not true. Any reduction in fees leaves charges off the consumer’s invoice and in their pocket, which is a good thing.
Of the $4.3 million, the first $250,000 goes to fund the MTA’s annual operations. The Marin County Civil Grand Jury spent the last year evaluating the MTA and recommended the agency be dissolved for lack of public benefit. Predictably, the government disagreed, even though the agency has few tasks and no projects, manages one contract and is, by their admission, a telecommunications agency in name only.
I’m sympathetic when government loses a steady revenue stream, but not when it ignores the considered will and advice of the people to tighten the belt.
October 30, 2019
Marin Independent Journal
Letter by Bruce Vogen, San Anselmo
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