Florida looking better for any of you yet? 
Committee approves cable bill
By LLOYD DUNKELBERGER
Sun Tallahasse Bureau
TALLAHASSEE - Over the objections of city and county governments, a House committee on Tuesday backed a bill that would take away the power of those governments to grant cable television franchises.
Proponents of the bill (HB 1199), who include the phone companies, say it will provide consumers with more choices and lower cable TV rates. Opponents, who include the cable industry, say it could hurt consumers by removing a requirement that cable services be provided in all communities.
The bill, which is one of the most heavily lobbied measures in the session, passed the House Finance and Tax Committee in a 7-2 vote. The Senate has yet to take a vote on a similar bill.
Rep. Trey Traviesa, R-Tampa, the chief sponsor of the proposal, reiterated his argument that Florida cable users could save more than $600 million a year if the current local government franchising system were replaced by a system that allowed statewide franchises. It would amount to savings of $125 a year for each household that has cable, he said.
Traviesa said he has tried to deal with the concerns of local government, noting he agreed to an amendment that would require new cable companies to offer the same number of educational and government-access channels that now exist in a community if they decide to provide services there.
But he said opponents continue to want to protect the existing cable TV franchising system, which he says represents a "de facto" monopoly that provides consumers with few choices.
"I've done my best to listen and compromise," Traviesa said. "At the end of the day, I guess they just don't want to compromise."
Local governments raised a variety of objections to the bill, which legislative analysts say could cost city and county governments more than $30 million in lost franchising fees if it passes.
John Smith, a lobbyist for the Florida League of Cities, said the bill creates "a handful of winners and losers." He warned that by eliminating the provision that requires cable companies to serve all communities it could lead to "cherry picking" by the new companies or marketing strategies that bypass some communities.
Bob McKee, a lobbyist for the Florida Association of Counties, said Miami-Dade County removed the so-called "build-out" requirement from its local franchising ordinance to try to bring more competition to the county. But he said it didn't bring more competition, noting only 3 percent of the cable customers in the state's largest county now have a choice in providers.
He said keeping the requirement that cable companies build out their systems to all communities means services are provided "not just on Main Street but on my street as well."
Lobbyists for the Florida Cable Telecommunications Association continued to warn that the legislation could lead to lawsuits if the existing cable companies try to break their franchise agreements with the local governments.
But a majority of House members on the finance and tax panel said they were convinced the bill will help consumers.
Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, said consumers don't care if their cable service is provided by a phone company, a satellite company or a cable company. "They just want that product," he said. "In my view the consumer is best served by opening up the competition."
Rep. Don Brown, R-DeFuniak Springs, said he is sympathetic to complaints from constituents about the escalating cost of cable service, which has risen nationally by 86 percent since 1995. He said he is convinced by the experience in other states that have gone to statewide franchises, resulting in more choices for consumers and lower prices.
"Competition works," he said.
Traviesa's bill has one more committee stop to clear before it can go to the House floor. |
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Change companys ?
I was told they would be out the next day and no charge..