COSTA MESA : Cable TV Panel Protests Rate Hike

The city’s Cable Television Committee has written a letter to Copley-Colony Cablevision of Costa Mesa Inc., protesting an 11% rate hike that takes effect next month.

Copley-Colony will raise its basic monthly rate to $24.45 from the current $21.95, General Manager Stephen McMahon said. The decision was made after an annual evaluation of the company’s budget.

“If the cost of programming and other operating costs increases, then there will be a rate increase,” he said. He said he had not yet received the committee letter.

The 11-member committee decided to draft the letter to protest the increase even though neither the committee nor the City Council has authority to block rate increases, said committee chairwoman Shelley Lash.

The cable company operates under a 15-year franchise agreement with the city that was approved in 1984, when a nationwide deregulation of cable companies took place.

“I think the consensus is even though we don’t have any control over the rates, we felt it was our duty as an advisory board to the city. . . . We felt that with the economic downturn it would be nice that the cable company not raise its rates,” Lash said.

The letter, read by Councilman Joe Erickson at Monday’s council meeting, notes that during tough economic times, families stay home more often and rely on cable television for entertainment. The committee members fear that a rate increase could force some households to cut back on that source of entertainment, Lash said.

“More importantly, we’re talking about just keeping things at a manageable level,” Lash said.