AgdaPkt 2006-03-27 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

9A Page 29 TELECOM from page 1 .............................................. Officials were also told that a growing federal deficit may impact funding for Community Devel- opment Block Grants (CDBG), homeland security, transportation and other local programs. The national telecommunications franchise appears to be under serious consideration in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, whose staff is currently working on a draft. The approach is intended to aid telephone companies that want to compete with cable companies in offering video and Internet services in thousands of communities throughout the nation, without having to incur the time and expense of negotiating local franchise agreements. League's recently-adopted Telecommunications Principles, which were signed by more than 150 California cities. This and other resources are available on the Telecom page of the League's website (www.cacities.org/telecom). Sen. Boxer Supportive of Cities Concerns Sen. Boxer serves on the Commerce, Sci- ence and Transportation Committee, which will work on the telecommunications bill in the Senate. She was very up-to-speed on the telecommunica- tions reform issue, and in a meeting with Califor- nia city officials assured them that she was supportive of local government goals of preserving local control over revenues, rights-of-way, PEG stations and other priorities. The telephone companies argue that "speed to market" is essential for them to introduce competi- tive services that could expand options and lower Sen. Feinstein does not sit on the committee service costs for consumers. with jurisdiction over this issue, but can still playa role in lobbying her colleagues and when a bill reaches the Senate floor. Cities are concerned that a national franchise could undermine their ability to protect essential local revenues, the safety of local rights-of-way, public, education and government (PEG) stations and other community concerns. City Action Will Be Critical Indications from House members and staff are that the committee could move quickly over the next few weeks on a mark-up of the telecommuni- cations measure. Cities may have a very narrow window of opportunity to communicate with their representatives about why it is important to pre- serve locals' ability to regulate local rights-of-way, preserve local revenues, and protect PEG chan- nels and the funding for those stations, exercise control over build-out and other critical consumer protection issues. The League will post a sample letter on the League's online Advocacy Center (www.cacities.org/advocacycenter) as soon as a draft of the bill is available. In the meantime, the League did provide the committee members with a letter outlining the CDBG: Keep Those Letters Coming! While most members of Congress appear strongly supportive of preserving CDBG funding, it is clear that the ongoing federal budget deficit is squeezing Congress' ability to fully fund this priority local program. Consequently, it continues to be very important for cities to write their repre- sentatives and arm them with specific examples of how CDBG is making a difference in your city: programs funding, housing built, investments leveraged and other examples that underscore the importance of preserving this funding program. (Visit the League's Advocacy Center at www.cacitìes.org/~dvocacycenter) for a sample letter.) For more information on this and other League issues, visit www .cacities.org. Visit the League's Official Website-www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS. PAGE 7 March 11, 2006 - Issue #11