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WHEREAS, for decades, municipalities across America have had the legal right to enter into franchise agreements with cable operators, which has benefited municipalities and consumers by ensuring that cable operators respond to local needs and interests; and
WHEREAS, these benefits include, but are not limited to, franchise fee revenue for use of the public rights-of-way, customer service standards, requirements that cable operators serve the entire community, public, educational and governmental ("PEG") access channels, complimentary cable to community facilities, and municipal management of the public rights-of-way; and
WHEREAS, both the Pennsylvania Legislature and the United State Congress are considering legislation that would eliminate municipal franchising authority; and
WHEREAS, the legislation as drafted would significantly reduce franchise fee revenue by narrowing the definition of "gross revenues" subject to the franchise fee, eliminate local enforcement of customer service standards, repeal the current requirement that cable operators must serve the entire community, reduce PEG channel obligations, abolish the granting of complimentary services, and limit local authority over the public rights-of-way.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby opposes both state and national franchising legislation currently being considered by the Pennsylvania State Legislature and the United States Congress; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh will send this resolution to all Pennsylvania State Representatives, all Pennsylvania State Senators, the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation, and the two U.S. Senators from Pennsylvania.