CC Resolution No. 7930
RESOIIJTION NO. 7930
A RESOIIJI'ION OF THE CIT1{ CXJONCIL OF '!HE CIT1{ OF ClJ~.tOt<J.'INO
URGING '!HE (X)NGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO REVISE '!HE
CABLE CXJMMIJNICATION roLICY AŒ! OF 1984, AND EXPRESSING
GENERAL OONCERN ABOOl' '!HE NEED FOR GREATER I.DCAL GOVERNMENT
REX;UIATORY AI1lliORITY
WHEREAS, the Cable Communications Act of 1984 restricted states' an::1
local goverrnnents' abilities to regulate the cable television Wustry
directlYI an::1
WHEREAS, since the passage of the Cable Camm.mications Act of 1984,
concentrations of ownership am::JUIItin;J to mnopolies have increased am:>ng
cable operators, even though that Act was :inten::led to "prcnrote competition
:in cable conum.mications aro. minimize unnecessazy regulations that inix>se
\JIXÌUe economic burden on cable systems;" an::1
WHEREAS, municipalities throughout the nation, including the City of
OJpertino, have been subjected to substantial rate increases, service
reductions, aro. progranuning changes that do not reflect consumers I needs
or the original intentions of their franchise agreements; aro.
WHEREAS, m:>re than half of the nation's households, aro. m:>re than
7,300 of the residents of this city subscribe to cable, aro. cable
television is increasin;Jly becam.ing the ma:in means of access to
information an::1 entertainmentl aro.
WHEREAS, cable subscribers in the City of OJpertino have been
subjected to substantial rates increases since 1986, as well as increases
in the costs of additional outlets, premitnn services, :installation, etc.;
aro.
WHEREAS, cable television is rapidly bein;J priced beyon:l the reach of
lower-incane people, including families with children aro. the elderly,
who are particularly :in need of information aro. other services that are
available solely through cable television; an::1
WHEREAS, the diversity of information services promised by the 1984
Cable Camm.mications Act has failed to materialize I aro.
WHEREAS, the promise of universal service, similarly, has not been
fulfilled; an::1
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RESOIIJI'ION NO. 7930
WHEREAS, existin;J law provides the City of OJpertino aro. other
franchisin;J authorities no authority to control or question the ÍlI1?OSition
by cable franchises of exomitant rates upon citizens whose rights-of-way
have been placed at the c::anpmies I disposal by virtue of the grant of
franchises; aro.
WHEREAS, the National I.eague of cities has adopted policies :in favor
of :increasin;J local goven¡ments' cable regulatory authority aro. :in favor
of m:>re cc:IIIq?etition :in the provision of cable television service to
constmIerS; aro.
WHEREAS, legislation that is ru::M pen::lin;J :in the Con;¡ress seeks
canprehensive chan;Je :in the Cable Canmnmications Act of 1984.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1. The City Council of the City of CUpertino declares its support
for the restoration of local regulatory authority over cable television
systems .
2. The Congress of the united states should rewrite the Cable
Canmnmications Policy Act of 1984, with particular focus on reregulation
of lSI.1bs=iber rates, allowance of telephone c:::œtpany provision of cable
service unier circumstances that respect local government authority,
system ownership transfers, the ilrpact of vertical :integration :in the
cable in:iustry, aro. other aspects of the Act that directly ilrpact local
regulation aro. constmIerS.
3. The city Council of the city of OJpertino urges CC)1)gressional
action for awropriate federal legislation to restore local authority over
cable systems, to elim:inate the barriers to c......1~tition, aro. to rectify
other aspects of the 1984 Act that work to disfavor cable constmIerS.
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RESOIlJI'ION NO. 7930
PASSED AND AIJOPI'ED at a regular meetin;J of the City Council of the
city of OJpertino this 16th day of October , 1989 by the
followin;J vote:
Vote Members of the city Council
AYES: Gatto, Johnson, Koppel, Rogers, P1ungy
NOFS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
ATI'EST:
APPROVED:
Isl Dorothy Cornelius
city Clerk
Isl John J. P1ungy, Jr.
Mayor, City of OJpertino
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