By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Buffalo is getting closer to a new cable franchise agreement and one City lawmaker is hoping it could mean better cable rates for residents.
The City has extended its current contract with Adelphia Cable. But soon Time Warner will be taking over the bankrupt company.
Buffalo Common Council member Richard Fontana says once Time Warner takes over, the City will be renegotiating its franchise agreement. That deal allows the cable company to do business within the City. Fontana would like to see lower cable rates for City residents. In the past, some have complained about the high costs of cable.
"I have been stressing value packs for years. Adelphia has value packs, but they are really not the value I was looking for. Residents tell me that $54.00 for cable a month is too high. They would like to see something in the $25.00 to $35.00 range. There is the basic broadcast package of $13.00, but with a good pair of rabbit ears, you can get the same thing. People are really looking for a value, and we are going to stress that with Time Warner," said Fontana.
As for Adelphia's workforce, Fontana says so far the news remains good. He says in some meetings with Time Warner, the company has indicated that the one-thousand local workers would retain their jobs.
"They have no intention of laying off employees. Locally they want to keep our employees here in Buffalo. In an ordinance we past, they must give use notification if they do plan to make a substantial change or cut in employment. They must notify us 60-days in advance," Fontana said.
Fontana says the City will also ask Time Warner to offer free cable and high speed Internet service to community centers and libraries in the City.
Currently Adelphia provides it to Buffalo public schools. But Fontana would like that free service transferred for the other sites. He says the city schools don't take advantage of it because the district needs Internet filters and uses a system through Boces.