HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-58 Urging the Congress of the US to Resvise the Cable Communication Policy Act of 1984t
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RESOLUTION NO. 58
Series of 1989
A RESOLUTION URGING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
TO REVISE THE CABLE COMMUNICATION POLICY ACT OF 1984,
AND EXPRESSING GENERAL CONCERN ABOUT THE NEED FOR GREATER
4-„; ;~~ {.;,~ ;;_ ,,LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGULATORY AUTHORITY.
WHEREAS, the Cable Communications Act of 1984 restricts 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
operators, even though the Act was intended to "promote competition in cable
communications and minimize unnecessary regulations that impose undue economic
burden on cable systems;" and
WHEREAS, many municipalities including the Town of Vail receive no over-the-air
television signal; and
WHEREAS, municipalities throughout the nation, including the Town of Vail, have
been subject to substantial rate increases; and
WHEREAS, more than half of the nation's households and a substantial number of
the residents of this town subscribe to cable and cable television is increasingly
becoming the main means of access to information and entertainment; and
WHEREAS, cable subscribers in this town have been subjected to substantial rate
increases over the past four years; 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 town and other franchising authorities
little ability to control or question the imposition by cable franchisees of rates
upon citizens whose right-of-way have been placed at the company's disposal by
virtue of the grant of franchises; 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 BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF VAIL,
COLORADO:
1. The Vail Town Council declares its support for the restoration of local
regulatory authority over cable television systems.
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2. The Congress of the United States should rewrite the Cable Communicatia~s
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Policy Act of 1984 with particular focus an reregulation of subscriber rates,
allowance of telephone company provision of cable services under circumstances that
respect local government authority, system owner transfers, the impact of ~ertica1
integration in the cable industry, and other aspects of the act that directly impact
local regulation and consumers.
3.';~ The Tawn Council urges Cangressional 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 the
disfavor~~of cable consumers,
INTRDDUCED,~READ,,APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of September 1989.
ATTEST:
Pamela A.~Bran~ dm~~rn Clerk
fCent R. Rose, Mayor