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from: TC Palm

Robert Minksy: Cable TV one example: State usurping local revenue

By ROBERT MINKSY
columnist
May 15, 2007

I don't know how many people noticed a little article in the paper the other day regarding cable franchise, but it is an issue that warrants the public's attention.

For many years, cities and counties were able to invoke franchise fees on companies that use local right-of-ways to bring cable service to the citizens of the community. In most cases, these were exclusive franchise agreements and were a significant source of revenue. That was good, but on the other hand, it was not so good because it stifled competition.

In today's technologically advanced world, a lot of companies are capable of providing television and Internet services besides cable companies. So several years ago these companies began a massive effort to wrest control away from local governments and vest it into the states. The lobbying effort was intense at the state level, and apparently it has paid off (no pun intended).

In addition to the loss of revenue for local governments, a major concern is that the state will now control access to local government's right of ways, and I am sure that in the future state government will find other innovative ways to utilize this vehicle to divert more revenue from the cities into its own coffers.

The way things are going in Tallahassee, it seems that local governments have become a source of revenue for the state, and little concern is being given to the impact on local government's ability to provide the services required and desired by the public. There is a widely used cliché used to express the mission of government regardless if it is city, county, state or federal, "To provide for the health, safety and welfare of the citizen."

Each level of government has certain levels and types of services that it is required to provide. To satisfy those responsibilities, there must be a balance of requirements and revenue. I do not understand the current irresponsible trend in Tallahassee to reduce local government's revenue regardless of the negative impact on the ability to provide services.

For local government to protect and serve its constituents, there must be a stable and secure source of revenue. Without that, the ability of local government to fulfill its responsibilities is severely diminished.

Also severely diminished is my belief that Tallahassee understands that simple fact.

Local taxes historically have been determined by local citizens' demands for services. Now the state is taking the position that it will decide how much revenue will be at our disposal regardless of the services needed and desired by the public. This is completely undermining the stability of local government.

There has been no effort to discuss this initiative with local governments, or to comprehend the impact it would have on them.

In my opinion, many state-elected officials won their elections by making unrealistic and frivolous promises. They put themselves in a box and nailed it shut. Now they are under the gun to deliver, and the only way for them to accomplish that is to take money from local government.

There is a federal law against unfounded mandates. This is an unfounded mandate, in that Tallahassee will significantly reduce our income without any effort to offset that loss.

I have read comments that local government has too much money anyway. There are almost 500 cities and counties in the state, and each is unique. I sincerely believe that local services will suffer drastic consequences.

I wonder if our state officials will accept responsibility, or continue to proclaim themselves as heroes, while local officials become their scapegoats?

Minsky retired as mayor of Port St. Lucie when his term expired in 2006.