While Tennessee families struggle to make ends meet, public utilities in Nashville are counting on their friends in high places to increase profits.
Under a change in Tennessee law proposed by Senator Bo Watson and Rep. Jimmy Matlock, fees charged to private internet and cable companies to attach their equipment to public utility poles will rise from $17 per pole to $33 per pole. As is always the case when there is a monopoly, the ones who end up paying higher costs are the people who don’t have politicians and lobbyists looking out for our interests. If cable and internet providers have to pay more for use of publicly owned poles, the cost will be passed on to us.
Hopefully other members of the legislature will side with average Tennesseans and vote no on increasing our costs.
Jim Titus
Hixson
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Having read Jim Titus' letter about the potential increase in our cable rates, I agree with his points.
Most people these days are cutting back on nights out. Taking the family to the movies, to dinner or a ballgame has become a rare treat. So family nights, watching movies or the Vols at home are more common. But the plan by Senator Bo Watson to raise our cable rates means fewer people will even get to enjoy even that small luxury. Watson is proposing that cable companies pay double their current cost to use public utility poles that deliver cable TV to our homes. Watson’s plan means that poles that are owned by the public will turn a higher profit for utility companies at the expense of those of us who pay the bills. Higher costs to the cable companies will mean higher costs for average families.
It’s about time politicians understood their efforts to help produce profits for their buddies have real consequences for real people.
Tim Wesley
Chattanooga