6/12/2007 CABLE AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE Minutes

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Town Of Mashpee Qffice of selectmen 36 Great JVeck koad Sorth RN�O�E°off Mashpee,Massachusetts 02649 Telephone - (508) 539-1400 Ax (508) 539-1403 May 21, 2007 Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities&Energy Room 47313, State House Boston, MA 02130 To Whom It May Concern: We are writing in opposition to bills "House 3385" and"Senate 1987" a.k.a "An Act Promoting Consumer Choice and Competition for Cable Services",which would allow the Dept. of Telecommunications & Energy to issue State licenses for cable vision providers. We believe these bills will undermine local licensing authorities of municipalities. Cities and towns across Massachusetts and the nation are facing a mounting attack on their existing local video franchising authority. These bills would significantly alter or eviscerate the abilityof local governments to enter into and enforce local cable franchise agreements, and to manage and collect fees for the use of local rights of way.. While these bills purport to bring about competition and lower prices to the cable market, in reality, they preempts the very local authority that ensures that the neighborhood you live in would actually get competition and lower prices. As currently written, these hills undermine local,franchising enforcement and compliance authority, threaten local budgets,limit the benefit of broadband-videocompetition to a few well-to-do neighborhoods, weaken provisions that ensure video providers meet each community's needs and interests, and undermine the ability of local governments to protect their residents and respond to cable customer service complaints. While industry lobbyists claim this is about competition,their business model and past practices show that it is really about profits at local government's and taxpayer's expense. Therefore,we strongly urge you to oppose these bills and any other attempt to preempt local control over video.franchising decisions. Thank you. Sincerely, Theresa Coo Chairman J6Vh ahalane Don D. Mferk George F. Green, Jr. WayneJ6Taylor