Orange County NC Website
Gwen Harvey -IMPORTANT Information Regarding Cable Franchises! _ Page 2 <br />~..~ <br />On July 27 Senators John Ensign and John McCain introduced S. 1504, the <br />Ensign/McCain Broadband Investment and Consumer Choice Act, which among <br />other things, abolishes cable franchising; reduces cable franchise fees <br />(perhaps substantially); apparently (we say apparently because the bill <br />is not entirely clear on these points) grants video providers the right <br />to use public rights of way in perpetuity; apparently abolishes all <br />zoning of cellular towers; apparently abolishes telephone franchises and <br />fees; and attempts to prevent governments from providing the public with <br />communications service <br />Municipalities need to take this bill seriously, and promptly contact <br />their legislators to oppose it, as it was drafted at the request of <br />Senator Ted Stevens, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, and <br />apparently expresses his views Committee Chairs carry great weight in <br />the Senate. In addition, the cosponsor ship of the bill by Senator John <br />McCain gives the bill more weight. Copies of the bill, a more detailed <br />analysis of it and sample letters to use in writing Congress are on our <br />website, www,varnumlaw,com/cable/legislation." <br />John Pestle <br />Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP <br />*NEIL J. LEHTO* <br />*Attorney and Counselor at Law* <br />4035 IVERNESS LANE <br />WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN 48323-1714 <br />TELEPHONE AND FACSIMILE (248) 851-4276 <br />E-MAIL nlehto@municable.com <br />TO: Municipal Clients and Others <br />FROM: Neil J Lehto <br />RE: S 1504 <br />DATE: July 28, 2005 <br />Yesterday, Senators John Ensign (R-Nevada) and .lohn McCain (R-Arizona) <br />introduced S. 1504, the Broadband Investment and Consumer Choice Act, <br />