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Telecom industry gives big bucks to politicians
Lawmakers are being flooded with campaign donations as the industry pushes for cable deregulation.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
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COLUMBUS — The telecommunications industry, which is pushing a bill to rewrite state cable franchising law, has contributed more than half a million dollars to the campaign coffers of lawmakers, statewide officeholders and political parties over the past two years, an analysis of campaign finance records by Ohio Citizen Action shows.
Telecom interests, led by giant AT&T, have poured $374,581 into lawmakers' accounts, $69,365 to Gov. Ted Strickland, another $30,188 to the other four statewide officeholders, and $84,210 to Democrat and Republican party accounts, according to Citizen Action. The contributions totaled $558,344 in 2005 and 2006.
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"The legislature is just being flooded by all this money and flooded with lobbyists who all want this type of deregulation. But they have to remember the consumers, who also happen to be the voters," said Catherine Turcer of Ohio Citizen Action, a consumer advocacy and good government group.
State Sen. Jeff Jacobson, R-Butler Twp., who received $6,800 from telecom and cable interests, introduced a bill in March that would allow cable and telephone companies that want to sell video services to negotiate a single franchise deal with the state.
Supporters say AT&T and other companies entering the video-provider market will spur competition and lower prices.
But consumer advocates and local governments counter that the bill reduces the power of communities to regulate cable customer service and control rights of way while consolidating weaker oversight into the Ohio Department of Commerce. It would also affect the deployment of broadband Internet services, allowing companies to "cherry pick" wealthy and densely populated areas but leave out poor and sparsely populated areas, Turcer said.
Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1624 or lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.
Comments
By Gary
June 17, 2007 4:53 AM | Link to this
And remember, EVERY corporation is really a govt entity. Bsides incorporation papers, it’s Corporate Law, LIMITED liability, and special tax structures, ALL FROM THE GOVERNMENT, is what makes a company into a corporation. There is no such thing as a wholly private corporation. It’s a contradiction in terms. Every single one should be ANSWERABLE to “We the People”.
By Karl
June 6, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this
I am opposed to SB117 because of the impact on local schools and local government. Also we must not allow corporate control of our rights of way. Given the dollars being given to state officials, this is corruption like that practiced by gangsters in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
By Leslie Akers
June 6, 2007 4:04 PM | Link to this
I am extremely uncomfortable with monopolies. What’s to prevent a mega super provider from moving into the content of what we watch?
By Leslie Akers
June 6, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this
I am extremely uncomfortable with monopolies. What’s to prevent a mega super provider from moving into the content of what we watch?
By David E. Beitzel
June 6, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this
Who are these people? “But consumer advocates and local governments counter that the bill reduces the power of communities to regulate cable customer service”
The experience in Miami County with most is that Time Warner is arrogantly non-responsive unless great time and effort are involved. The local communities have been no help to this non-responsiveness. One can’t even send an email to the Company from their web site. They are also arrogant about what products they offer on Cable TV.
By David E. Beitzel
June 6, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this
Who are these people? “But consumer advocates and local governments counter that the bill reduces the power of communities to regulate cable customer service”
The experience in Miami County with most is that Time Warner is arrogantly non-responsive unless great time and effort are involved. The local communities have been no help to this non-responsiveness. One can’t even send an email to the Company from their web site. They are also arrogant about what products they offer on Cable TV.
By junglejim
June 6, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this
I don’t know how this will turn out, but somebody needs to reel in a Time Warner Cable from uncontrolled indiscrininate rate changes and give its customers a clear break down of its rate schedule. It seems as though if one wants to lower their cable bill by eliminating a service, the net effect is that your bill goes up. They explain it away as you no longer have your “grandfather-in” rates - you are on the new rate structure. Give us some competitive choices to fix the monopoly.
By FedUp
June 6, 2007 10:17 AM | Link to this
Not only the best government that money can buy, but certainly the best business climate that money can buy. Name me one politician who doesn’t suck off the teat of corporate largesse. Politicians are simple the agents (and toadies) of corporate American. The will of the people? No, certainly not the majority. The few? Yep, the ones with big fat checkbooks! Business as usual, huh Jacobs? Give Jacobs and his ilk some money and they’ll write you a bill — bought and paid for. Shameful.