Small turnout at California cable contract public hearing
CALIFORNIA — A public hearing concerning the California Borough Council’s cable franchise renewal with Armstrong was met with little interest from the community on Thursday.
Bill McVey, who was the only resident present for the meeting, questioned why his rates continue to increase each year. As a basic cable subscriber, he is now paying $66 a month for fewer channels, as opposed to $36 a month about 10 years ago, he said.
Since then, he argues that he has continued to pay more for a lower-quality package.
“I want to know why I am paying $364 a year for less of a product,” McVey said. “That’s my complaint. I’m just tired of the cable going up and up, and there are no updates.”
Wanting to renew the contract with Armstrong, the borough hired the Cohen Law Group in Pittsburgh to oversee the negotiation. In order to proceed in negotiating the 10-year contract, the group instructed the borough to hold the public hearing.
Since the contract with Armstrong has already expired, the borough has been running on a continuum, according to Councilman Anthony Mariscotti. A continuum is only available for a few years before the borough is required to completely renew its contract, he added.
Councilwoman Paula Gutosky questioned Mariscotti about whether university students and residents pay the same cable rates. Small cable packages are available that the university has taken advantage of recently, according to Mariscotti, but the rates continue to increase on a yearly basis.
Even though McVey wasn’t necessarily voicing his disapproval for the borough’s decision, he said he is upset with his service. Rates continue to increase every year, as opposed to every other year, McVey said.
“I am just fed up with this,” he said. “Every March it’s like paying your taxes. Your bill goes up $3.”
This issue has been addressed with Armstrong already, according to Mariscotti. By having the hearing, the council was able to review Armstrong’s performance and identify the borough’s future cable related community needs.
“As far as these negotiations, that’s what we want is a less expensive basic cable package,” he said.
Some benefits for franchise renewal include a state-of-the-art cable system now and in the future, strong customer service standards, an educational government channel, legal protection of right of ways and better mechanisms to endorse franchise, Mariscotti said. The hearing was publicized on May 21 in the Herald-Standard, according to Councilman Jon Bittner.