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HomeMy WebLinkAbout93-47 - Regulation of Basic Tier Cable Television Service RatesIII RESOLUTION NO. 93-47 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION FROM THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FOR THE REGULATION OF BASIC TIER CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE RATES. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE, AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: 1. WHEREAS, on February 16, 1993, City Council directed the City of Costa Mesa ("Costa Mesa") Cable Television Committee ("Committee") to conduct noticed public hearings on the rates, service, and equipment of the cable television franchisee, Copley/Colony Cablevision ("Copley/Colony"); and 2. WHEREAS, on March 2, 1993, and April 7, 1993, the Committee held noticed public hearings on the rates, service, and equipment of the cable television franchisee, Copley/Colony, and received written communications and testimony from the citizens of Costa Mesa who are customers of Copley/Colony and receive cable television service from Copley/Colony; and 3. WHEREAS, testimony was received at the public hearings that since the granting of the cable television franchise to Copley/Colony in 1984, cable television service basic tier rates have increased by 360 percent; and 4. WHEREAS, testimony was received at the public hearings that residents of Costa Mesa have voiced and written concerns to the Committee about the cable television service rates, programming, customer service, and equipment incompatibility; and 5. WHEREAS, the testimony established that the citizens of the City are dissatisfied with cable television service rates for basic service tier and nonbasic tier cable television service, and view the rates as being unreasonable in light of recent rate increases by Copley/Colony; and 6. WHEREAS, the testimony established that the citizens of the City are dissatisfied with customer service and frequently experience equipment incompatibility with the cable television service by Copley/Colony, and the senior discounts are not low enough; and 7. WHEREAS, the public's health, safety, and welfare will be served by the City obtaining certification from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) to regulate basic tier cable service rates, and adopt customer service regulations and pursue a complaint for a roll back of nonbasic tier cable television service rates; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE, AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: 1. The City Manager and City Attorney are hereby directed and authorized to take all necessary steps to apply for and obtain certification from the FCC to empower the City of Costa Mesa to regulate basic tier cable television service rates within the City of Costa Mesa. 2. The City of Costa Mesa is the franchising authority within the City of Costa Mesa and has adopted or will adopt and administer regulations with respect to rates under 47 U.S.C. 573 that are consistent with the regulations prescribed by the FCC. 3. The City of Costa Mesa has the legal authority to adopt and the personnel to administer such regulations. 1. 141 4. The City of Costa Mesa's procedural laws and regulations which are or will be applicable to rate regulation proceedings provide a reasonable opportunity for consideration of the views of the interested parties. 5. The City of Costa Mesa has only one (1) cable television franchise, Copley/Colony Cablevision, operating a cable television system within the City which is not subject to effective competition. 6. The City Manager and City Attorney are further directed and authorized to take all necessary steps to file a complaint with the FCC alleging that the rates by Copley/Colony exceed the FCC criteria, where the City Attorney has found that evidence establishes unreasonable rates for nonbasic tier cable television services has been charged by Copley/Colony. 7. The City Attorney is directed to take all necessary steps to empower the City of Costa Mesa to regulate the customer service area of cable television services in the City. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21st day of June, 1993. ATTEST: 1 + Deputy Cit' Clerk of the City of Costa Mes STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE } ss CITY OF COSTA MESA ) t Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa I, MARY T. ELLIOTT, Deputy City Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa, hereby certify that the above and foregoing Resolution No. 93-47 was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on the 21st day of June, 1993. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the City of Costa Mesa this 22nd day of June, 1993. Deputyi y Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of the City ouncil of the City of Costa Mesa