Legislative Letters
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August 2, 2006
VIA E-mail and
1 sl Class Mail
<<Email>>
<<CompleteOFFICIALName _Address>>
Re: H.R. 5252 (formerly S. 2686), the Advanced Telecommunications
and Opportunity Reform Act (ATOR)
Dear <<Title>> <<Last>>,
Please allow this opportunity to express my opposition to H.R. 5252 (formerly S.
2686), the Advanced Telecommunications and Opportunity Reform Act (ATOR).
Under the guise of fostering cable competition to reduce prices, this piece of
legislation may actually do just the opposite. It is clearly intended to help big
business at the expense of the consumer. I feel it is bad for Dubuque and bad
for communities small and large across Iowa and across the United States.
The City of Dubuque negotiated long and hard to come up with a cable franchise
agreement that best meets the needs of our community; 14 more years remain
on our 15-year agreement. ATOR threatens to undermine all we worked so hard
to obtain for the residents of our city.
. Unlike our franchise agreement, A TOR does not require video service
providers to serve the entire community.
. Unlike our franchise agreement, ATOR severely erodes support for public,
educational, and governmental (PEG) programming. Our new franchise
has provided a much-needed shot in the arm for these truly local media
voices. With no Dubuque-based television stations, Dubuque residents
count on our PEG channels.
. ATOR's strict deadlines for reaching a franchise agreement clearly
handcuff local municipalities' duty to advocate on behalf of their residents.
This national "one size fits all" franchise system would be a bad fit for
everyone but the telecom companies pushing this bill.
Years ago, Congress wisely recognized that video franchising was a local
concern. I urge you to re-affirm that position and oppose H.R. 5252. It will
undermine everything that communities all across Iowa have worked so hard to
achieve. Let me also reassure you that, here in Dubuque, we welcome
competition, but we absolutely need the ability to seek what's best for the
residents of our community. ATOR is not this. It is what's best for the telecom
companies that want an easy way into the pocketbooks of a community without
having to serve that community.
Sincerely,
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
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Cc: Mayor Roy D. Buol
Dubuque City Council Members
Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Asst. City Manager
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
Craig Nowack, Cable TV Coordinator
Susan Judkins, Iowa League of Cities
http://harkin .senate.gov/contacUcontact. cfm
and Richard_Bender@harkin.senate.gov
Senator Tom Harkin
United States Senate
731 Hart Building
Washington, DC 20510
chuck _grassley@grassley.senate.gov
Senator Charles Grassley
United States Senate
135 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-1501