Schreiber, J Letter @ Cable RatFebruary 14, 2002
City Manager & Members of the City Council
City Hall
13th and Central
Dubuque, IA 52001
To Whom it Concerns:
I would like to share a few thoughts with you concerning our cable service. It appears
that the cable increase has done two things; raised the cost of service to all
subscribers 11.4%, and removed the 10% senior discount. When I called the cable
company about this, their answer was that the senior discount was included in the
current rate. This seems to be contrary to their advertised rate showing the basic rate
for all connections at $33.26. Is this fuzzy math?
I realize that none of the city agencies can do anything to the cable company except
deny their franchise, which should be by a vote of the citizens. But you can exert
pressure on them. The inflation rate is in the 2% range. The Social Security raise
was about 2.4%. An 11.4% cable increase seems to be a bit obscene. If the franchise
is due, I urge you to threaten this unregulated monopoly by holding the franchise over
their head. If you as a city council deem it right to renew their franchise, do it only for a
short term, 5 years, to keep them honest. Greed and the bottom line is the driving
force for most large American Corporations, Mediacom is no exception. Once again it
should be a vote by Dubuque citizens to approve or disapprove a cable franchise.
Very truly yours,
John P. Schreiber
605 Cooper Place
Dubuque, IA. 52001