[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 73 (Friday, June 9, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1089-E1090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITY, PROMOTION, AND ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. TAMMY BALDWIN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 8, 2006

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit these charts for the 
Record during the debate on the Point of Order that I raised against H. 
Res. 850 providing for the consideration of H.R. 5252, the 
Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006. The 
charts are compiled by the Alliance for Community Media detailing how 
49 local franchising authorities in 13 States will lose huge 
percentages of their annual PEG funding under the COPE Act.

                                 ANNUAL PEG SUPPORT FUNDING FROM CABLE COMPANIES
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Current PEG annual
                                    funding \1\
                               (excluding state law-   PEG annual funding under HR  Potential PEG annual funding
        Franchise area           mandated franchise      5252 and SB 2686 (1% of      loss under HR 5252 and SB
                               fee of $1.20/sub/year         gross revenues)                    2686
                                 to State and LFA)*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Massachusetts:
    Barnstable, Yarmouth,      $1,714,482                                 $369,774              $1,344,708 (78%)
     Chatham, Dennis, Harwich.  ($1,663,982 [4.5% of
                                gross revenues] plus
                                allocation of
                                $505,000 in initial
                                grants).
    Cambridge................  $1,215,148 ($965,148                        193,030               1,022,118 (84%)
                                in 2005, plus
                                $150,000/yr. grant,
                                plus allocation of
                                $1,000,000 capital
                                grant).
    Newton...................  $974,502 ($833,502                          208,375                 766,127 (79%)
                                [4% of gross
                                revenues], plus
                                $80,000/year in
                                other grants, plus
                                allocation of
                                $610,000 in initial
                                grants).
    Worcester................  $985,000 ($900,000                          300,000                 685,000 (70%)
                                [3% of gross
                                revenues] plus
                                allocation of
                                $850,000 in initial
                                grants).
    Billerica................  $594,721 ($539,721                          107,944                 486,777 (82%)
                                [5% of gross
                                revenues] plus
                                $55,OOO/year in
                                capital grants).
    New Bedford..............  $591,098 (3% of gross                       197,033                 394,065 (67%)
                                revenues).
    Malden...................  $457,500 ($400,000 in                        96,970                 360,530 (79%)
                                2005 plus allocation
                                of $575,000 initial
                                capital grant).
    Plymouth-Kingston........  $443,050 ($410,000                          136,667                 306,383 (69%)
                                [3% of gross
                                revenues] plus
                                allocation of
                                $330,500 in initial
                                grants).
    Norwood..................  $335,000 ($305,000                           61,000                 274,000 (82%)
                                [5% of gross
                                revenues] plus
                                allocation of
                                $300,000 in initial
                                grants).
    Fall River...............  $385,000 (2% of gross                       192,500                 192,500 (50%)
                                revenues).
    Holliston................  $131,998 ($106,998                           21,400                 110,598 (84%)
                                [5% of gross
                                revenues] plus
                                $25,000/year in
                                other grants).
    Carver...................  $82,300 ($74,000 [3%                         24,667                  57,633 (70%)
                                of gross revenues]
                                plus allocation of
                                $83,000 in initial
                                grants.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 
                                 Current PEG annual    PEG annual funding under HR
        Franchise area           funding (excluding      5252 and SB 2686 (1% of       PEG annual funding loss
                                  franchise fees)*           gross revenues)          under HR 5252 and SB 2686
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minnesota:
    St. Paul.................  $1,437,000 ($761,000                        361,000               1,076,000 (75%)
                                for operations,
                                $676,000 for
                                equipment).
    Arden Hills, Falcon        $1,046,023 ($951,629                        218,022                 828,001 (79%)
     Heights, Lauderdale,       operating grant,
     Little Canada, Mounds      $94,394 equipment
     View, New Brighton,        grant).
     North Oaks, Roseville,
     Shoreview, St. Anthony.
    Birchwood, Dellwood,       $811,000 ($771,000                          222,000                 589,000 (73%)
     Grant, Lake Elmo,          for operations,
     Mahtomedi, Maplewood,      $40,000 for
     North Saint Paul,          equipment).
     Oakdale, Vadnais
     Heights, White Bear
     Lake, White Bear
     Township, Willernie.
    Blaine, Centerville,       $591,190 (for                               139,188                 452,002 (76%)
     Circle Pines, Ham Lake,    operations and
     Lexington, Lino Lakes,     equipment).
     Spring Lake Park.
    Eagan, Burnsville........  $647,982 (for                               225,237                 422,745 (65%)
                                operations and
                                equipment).
    Andover, Anoka, Champlin,  $357,000 ($311,000                          125,506                 231,494 (65%)
     Ramsey.                    for operations,
                                $46,000 for
                                equipment).
    Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn  $716,266 (for                               500,000                 216,266 (30%)
     Park, Crystal, Golden      operations and
     Valley, Maple Grove, New   equipment).
     Hope, Osseo, Plymouth,
     Robbinsdale.
    Inver Grove Heights,       $293,000 ($235,000                          135,000                 158,000 (54%)
     Lilydale, Mendota,         for operations,
     Mendota Heights, South     $58,000 for
     St. Paul, Sunfish Lake,    equipment).
     West St. Paul.
    Cities of Stillwater, Oak  $109,000 (for                                38,300                  70,700 (65%)
     Park Heights, Bayport,     operations and
     and the Townships of       equipment).
     Baytown and Stillwater.
Maryland:
    Montgomery County........  $3,703,519                                1,787,200               1,916,319 (52%)
                                ($2,013,993 for PEG
                                operations plus
                                $236,100 for PEG
                                capital plus
                                $1,453,426 for I-Net
                                operations).

[[Page E1090]]

 
Washington, DC:
    Washington, DC...........  $2,160,000...........                     1,080,000               1,080,000 (50%)
Oregon:
    Portland.................  $3,000,000 (3% of                         1,000,000               2,000,000 (67%)
                                gross revenues).
    Multnomah County.........  $561,000 (3% of gross                       187,000                 374,000 (67%)
                                revenues).
    Salem....................  $400,000 (1.5% of                           265,000                 135,000 (34%)
                                gross revenues).
    McMinnville..............  $73,297 ($1.00 per                           43,215                  30,082 (41%)
                                subscriber per
                                month).
Virginia:
    Fairfax County...........  $4,500,000 (3% of                         1,500,000               3,000,000 (67%)
                                gross revenues).
    Arlington County.........  $1,439,000 ($855,OOO/                       591,500                 847,500 (59%)
                                year; plus $584,000
                                in 2005--1% of gross
                                revenues).
Arizona:
    Tucson...................  $1,500,000 ($1.35 per                       700,000                 800,000 (53%)
                                subscriber per
                                month).
Michigan:
    Bloomfield Township......  $313,243 (3% of gross                        97,910                 215,333 (69%)
                                revenues plus
                                $33,500 annual
                                grant).
California:
    Santa Maria & Lompoc.....  $464,000 ($395,000 in                       142,200                 321,800 (69%)
                                2005; plus
                                allocation of
                                $69,000/year, from
                                $828,000 initial
                                grant).
    Glendale.................  $613,333 ($600,000 in                       300,000                 313,333 (51%)
                                2005; plus
                                allocation of
                                $13,333/year, from
                                $200,000 initial
                                grant).
    Ventura..................  $350,292 ($263,625 in                       146,050                 204,242 (58%)
                                2005; plus
                                allocation of
                                $86,667/year from
                                $1,040,000 in Yrs. 1-
                                3 grants).
    Gilroy, Hollister, San     $259,471 ($189,471 in                        63,157                 196,314 (76%)
     Juan Bautista.             2005; plus
                                allocation of
                                $70,000/year, from
                                $700,000 initial
                                grant).
    Monterey.................  $231,622 ($151,622 in                        68,571                 163,051 (70%)
                                2005; plus
                                allocation of
                                $80,000/year, from
                                $800,000 initial
                                grant).
    Palo Alto, East Palo       $304,295 (88 cents                          163,902                 140,393 (46%)
     Alto, Menlo Park,          per subscriber per
     Atherton.                  month).
    Humboldt County, Eureka,   $293,750 ($200,000/                         180,000                 113,750 (39%)
     Arcata, Fortuna,           year; plus
     Ferndale, Blue Lake, Rio   allocation of
     Dell.                      $93,750/year, from
                                $750,000 in Yrs. 1-2
                                grants).
    Oceanside................  $487,333 ($214,000 in                       389,538                  97,795 (20%)
                                2005; plus
                                allocation of
                                $273,333/year from
                                $4,100,000 in Yrs. 1-
                                3 grants).
    Santa Rosa...............  $316,667 ($150,000/                         260,000                  56,667 (18%)
                                year; plus
                                allocation of
                                $166,667/year, from
                                $2,500,000 in other
                                grants during
                                franchise term).
    Monrovia.................  $83,000 ($46,000 plus                        37,000                  46,000 (55%)
                                1% of gross
                                revenues).
    Lawndale.................  $60,000 (2% of gross                         30,000                  30,000 (50%)
                                revenues).
Ohio:
    Cincinnati...............  $756,000 ($0.96 per                         497,956                 258,044 (34%)
                                subscriber per
                                month).
    Forest Park, Greenhills,   $161,665 ($1.06 per                         118,682                  42,983 (27%)
     Springfield Township.      subscriber per
                                month).
Wisconsin:
    West Allis...............  $200,000 (annual                            104,400                  95,600 (48%)
                                grant).
    River Falls..............  $44,500 ($1.32 per                           15,790                  28,710 (65%)
                                subscriber per
                                month).
    Madison..................  $388,000 ($0.60 per                         360,000                   28,000 (7%)
                                subscriber per
                                month).
Illinois:
    Urbana...................  $162,536 (2% of gross                        81,268                  81,268 (50%)
                                revenues).
Kansas:
    Salina...................  $135,000 (70 cents                           95,549                 39,451 (29%)
                                per subscriber per
                                month).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Massachusetts State law currently provides that any funding above the state mandated fees be spent on
  communications operations including PEG, I-Net and others. This chart anticipates state law changing to allow
  franchise fees to be used for other purposes.
* In addition to the annual PEG support funding described in this chart, other PEG and in-kind services
  resources are often provided by cable companies that serve these communities, including connections for
  program origination from multiple locations, free cable modem service, promotional assistance (e.g., ad
  avails, program listings on TV Guide channel, annual bill-stuffers), Institutional Networks, etc.

  

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