AgdaPkt 2006-06-26 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

8A Page 6 AB 2987 HEARING from page 1....................................... The rescheduling provides more time for the among providers would benefit consumers - but legislative staff and members to work on sorting only if the competition is fair to all Califomians - through the various issues and concerns that not just advantaging the well-to-do. Legislators have been raised with the telephone-company must take the time to do this right. backed measure, including those put forward by the League and local agencies and other groups. City OffIcials: Get Involved! The League is continuing to build the Tele- Cities should do the following to help deliver communications Equality Coalition (TEC) - an these messages: organization calling for amendments to the bill that would address issues such as red-lining of . Write or call your legislators to tell them of services, lack of consumer protections, funding your concerns with AB 2987. (Visit the League's for public, education and government (apEG") Advocacy Center at www.cacities.orql stations, local control of public rights-of-way, advocacycenter for a sample letter or talking funding of franchise fees and other concerns. points. ) Plans for joint lobbying efforts and media out- reach are underway. . Write a letter to your local paper about your Additional issues with the bill are coming to concerns. (Again, check the Advocacy Center for a sample.) light, as its provisions are more carefully exam- ined. This week, the League's legal counsel . Join the Telecommunications Equality issued an analysis that concluded that the provi- Coalition (TEC)l (Get a copy of the sign-up form sions calling for a state-issued franchise, with from the League's websJte: www.cacities.orgJ fees remitted to local agencies. presents two ab2987. Fax it back to Robb Korlnke at the significant problems for toeal governments: the League: (916) 658-8240. state franchise fee is actually a local tax which wiD require voter approval; and the definitions in . Contact your League regional represents- the bill mean that local governments will not be live to find out about more advocacy activities. made whole by the bill. Let's Not Repeat Mistakes of Energy De- regulatlonl The anatysis provides yet one more reason for the Senate to do what the Assembly did not do: take the time to understand this proposal. and amend it to address the many issues that the .>... ..... ............ ::.;:.;......,.... .. ,. . League and others are raising. like the electric energy deregulation fiasco of ten years ago, AS 2987 has enormous conse- quences for the state. That poorly designed legislation led to rate increases, electric energy shortages and rotating black-outs that hurt con- sumers and the California economy. Telecom- munications services - video and broadband - are hugety important to Californians. Competition :':':::":'::\:f'~':\';:/ '.:;::::':::::,:::::::;'~""::':';"':"'" ;.-...... ... PAGE 6 . PRIORITY FOCUS VISit the League'. OffIcial Website-www.c:acities.org June 18, 2006 . Issue 124 ,.._....,..__._.. .......'..' . .................~'...,,,~.,........,_._,,......,~~__--..-.._..,_____. 'V ---~,..