Legislative Act may leave TSU out
Eddie R. Cole Jr
Editor in Chief
Issue date: 4/9/07 Section: Campus News
- Page 1 of 1
A proposed act currently being pushed through the Tennessee State Legislature may leave certain tax brackets, such as areas of North Nashville, without the same access to cable television as other areas of the city.
Hodari P.T. Brown, vice president for the TSU Student Government Association, said the Competitive Cable and Video Services Act of 2007 is, in fact, noncompetitive.
Brown said the act is a way for AT&T wireless to compete for households with higher incomes and leave areas like TSU "out the loop."
"AT&T doesn't plan to target poor income areas in trying to provide cable," Brown said. "Plus the act would, in fact, not lower cable prices, but would keep them practically the same because AT&T will cost just as much as the current cable providers we already have in Tennessee."
Brown said he gave a presentation before the Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus on Tuesday, April 3, downtown at the State Capitol and he added that the Caucus was pleased to witness a TSU student take a stance on a political issue.
He said he desires his fellow TSU students to research the act and contact State Senator Thelma Harper or State Representative Brenda Gilmore on this issue to stress the need to vote no.
Ashley Ball, a consultant with James Ball & Associates, said she has been following
the act since its introduction in February. Since then, she has been an advocate for informing individuals of the situation and urging them to sign a petition
against the act.
"Most people fail to recognize that this bill is about much, much more than competition for cable television," said Ball, who has had 74 TSU students sign her petition. "What this is about is - in 20 years from now or 30 years from now - will the residents of my community be able to access the latest high-speed Internet or broadband technologies that will be essential to compete in the economy?"
Brown agreed stating that students should get involved now before this act affects their future.
"Simply put, I want students to know how issues, such as this one, could impact them in the future when they buy houses and get apartments and want cable that could be sky high due to this bill being passed," Brown said.•
Hodari P.T. Brown, vice president for the TSU Student Government Association, said the Competitive Cable and Video Services Act of 2007 is, in fact, noncompetitive.
Brown said the act is a way for AT&T wireless to compete for households with higher incomes and leave areas like TSU "out the loop."
"AT&T doesn't plan to target poor income areas in trying to provide cable," Brown said. "Plus the act would, in fact, not lower cable prices, but would keep them practically the same because AT&T will cost just as much as the current cable providers we already have in Tennessee."
Brown said he gave a presentation before the Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus on Tuesday, April 3, downtown at the State Capitol and he added that the Caucus was pleased to witness a TSU student take a stance on a political issue.
He said he desires his fellow TSU students to research the act and contact State Senator Thelma Harper or State Representative Brenda Gilmore on this issue to stress the need to vote no.
Ashley Ball, a consultant with James Ball & Associates, said she has been following
the act since its introduction in February. Since then, she has been an advocate for informing individuals of the situation and urging them to sign a petition
against the act.
"Most people fail to recognize that this bill is about much, much more than competition for cable television," said Ball, who has had 74 TSU students sign her petition. "What this is about is - in 20 years from now or 30 years from now - will the residents of my community be able to access the latest high-speed Internet or broadband technologies that will be essential to compete in the economy?"
Brown agreed stating that students should get involved now before this act affects their future.
"Simply put, I want students to know how issues, such as this one, could impact them in the future when they buy houses and get apartments and want cable that could be sky high due to this bill being passed," Brown said.•
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