Cable Conundrum

Via Arizona Eighth contributor, Randy Graf:

Cox Communications here in Tucson is at it again. They are in Phoenix at the State Legislature attempting to get the state to do their bidding against the City of Tucson (and against us)!

Cox will tell the public that they want to lower our rates. The state can limit the City of Tucson in the negotiations of a new franchise agreement. Cox got the state to do just that with legislation last year (I will save about $4 per year, thanks Cox!), now they want them to help speed up the timetable forcing the City into an untenable negotiating position.

Cox Communications needs to come clean. While I was still serving as House Majority Whip in the Arizona House of Representatives, Cox’s Tucson boss Ms. Anne Doris, wrote me a letter intentionally misrepresenting federal law. She wrote the same letter to County Administrator Huckelberry and in the print media in an attempt (and a successful one at this point in time) to not have to live up to their current agreement with Pima County.

Why the County does not demand that Cox fulfill the franchise agreement it has with the County can only lead to scratching my head. Bureaucrats don’t want to make waves and our elected officials refuse to do anything. Cox throws money around sponsoring this and that and donating antique computers to schools to get front page publicity as a steward of the community. And they run tv ads all day long about the great service they give. Truth is a recent audit infers that Cox is under-serving and overcharging their customers.

While the City of Tucson has reasons for criticism, Cox Communications should be called on the carpet. Perhaps the blogosphere is the only place to do it. The bill is being heard as a strike everything amendment in the House Counties, Municipalities and Military Affairs Committee Tuesday, Feb. 6th at 1:30 pm.

Rep. Marian McClure, Mmcclure@azleg.gov and Rep. Tom Prezelski, Tprezelski@azleg.gov both serve on the Committee. Send them an e-mail or give them a call at 1-800-352-8404 and urge them to vote NO.