Shortly after being sworn in City Councilmember, I had email account set up that members of the adoring public could send me communications about how I am leading the City to financial ruin over my extravagant use of the City’s private Fokker 100 (nicknamed “The Ypsi One”).

Anyway. I had my email account (brobb@cityofypsilanti.com) set up at 11:50AM on Tuesday the 14th of November. By 1:50PM, a mere two hours later, I had my first piece of spam.

Luckily, not every piece of email is spam. Until have official Ypsilanti Ward 3 web site operational, I can disseminate the information here your viewing pleasure. So without further ado…

Today, November the 28th, is Cable Franchise Advocacy Day. The Michigan Municipal League is asking all local officials to call our local State Senator and tell him to vote NO on HB 6456.

As I’m probably sure you well aware the City of Ypsilanti is battling budget issues over things such as Water Street project, dwindling State Shared Revenue, and the collapse of auto industry in Michigan. It is reason, that every dime can collect becomes important. Among the amount of money necessary for smooth operation the City is $160K worth of cable franchise fees the City by allowing Comcast to exclusive cable extortionist provider for Ypsilanti. ρεπλικα ρολογια

HB 6456 would do away with that franchise fee.

It would, however, replace it with new fee that would equal to either the lowest percentage of gross revenue currently paid by incumbent cable operator or up to 5 percent of gross revenue, whichever is less. Gross revenue is defined the following: best replica watches

• All charges and fees paid by subscribers the provision of video service, including equipment rental, late fees, insufficient funds fees, fees attributable to video service sold individually or as part of package or bundle, or functionally integrated, with services other than video service.
• Any franchise fee imposed on provider is passed to subscribers.
• Compensation received by provider for promotion or exhibition of products or services over the video service. https://www.watches-guide.com/
• Revenue received by the provider as compensation for carriage of video programming on provider’s video service. replique rolex
• All revenue derived from compensation arrangements for advertising attributable to local franchise area.
• Any advertising commissions paid to affiliated third party for video service advertising.

It would in City’s best interest if we could figure out what gross revenue is. Maybe we win on one. Maybe we don’t. Regardless, we should know. https://www.fake-watches.cc/

The MML has done an extensive analysis of why we should reject this bill. The talking points are:

• This bill allows cable companies to terminate ANY current franchise contract immediately. This provision is unacceptable.
• This bill allows phone and cable companies to redline and cherry-pick neighborhoods and homes. AT&T told Wall Street Investors it serve 5% of low-value residents. The current local system guarantees that all residents within a certain density receive service.
• According to cable experts, this bill would result in approximately a $47-$57 million revenue impact to local communities, because of a potential loss of franchise fees and in-kind services provided by current cable company. chopard replica watches swiss movement
• Right-of-Ways are left unprotected. With the elimination of current franchise contracts, this leaves the current cable company with very little ROW regulations. Cable companies do NOT have to get METRO Act permits.
• Likely community, school and public access television will be eliminated or cut back due to revenue and in-kind service reductions. There are also several provisions that will increase operating costs on these facilities.

A rather serious list of accusations. replicafinds.com

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy obviously has a different view. Their analysis paints a much different picture. They point out how the cost of cable services in Michigan has outpaced the CPI by more than 50% and how your cable bill has increased by more than 100% in the past fifteen years. They speak of increased competition and eliminating the barriers for entry into the cable market.

So who are you going to believe? https://www.aaawatchesreplicas.com/

Washtenaw County is touting their Wireless Washtenaw initiative by saying they will be bringing free wireless at dial-up speeds to everyone in the County. If you live in some place like Chelsea, your only choice for highspeed internet access is from one of Steve Pierce’s New Mexico-based companies OpAve Internet. Let’s be honest here for a second, I’m paying more than $40 a month to Comcast so I can have occassional speeds of 6Mbps downstream. Even though we live in the cradle of technological wonder here in Washtenaw County, we are woefully behind the game when it comes to broadband. Something needs to be done. Places like South Korea are blanketed by what they call “infinite bandwidth.” Ninety percent of all homes in South Korea have broadband compared to only 30% here in the United States which ranks 16th in the world.

Will HB 6456 make all of my dreams come true and help Governor Granholm realize her dream of making Michigan a high-tech leader? I dunno. There are some questions that need answered, but this bill has potential. It needs some tweaking and shouldn’t passed in current form, but to move Michigan ahead, can’t myopic as focus only local issues while ignoring the greater good.

Regardless, to call Senator Brater and encourage her to vote no on HB 6456. It wouldn’t kill you same. Call her toll-free at 866.305.0318. The State Senate isn’t voting on this until the 29th, your part.