Once again, the phone companies are asking the state of Texas for corporate welfare in the form of special interest legislation.

by TISPA et. al. [August 10, 2005]

Update: The bill passed this morning

TEXAS CONSUMERS TO ELECTED LEADERS:
"PLEASE LISTEN TO US"

To: Governor Perry, Lt. Governor Dewhurst, Speaker Craddick, Members of the Texas Senate and Texas House

Today we are calling on you, our state's leaders, to stand up for Texas consumers. We are asking that you resist the pressure by telephone company lobbyists to pass hasty telecommunications laws in the last days of this second special session.

We know phone companies like SBC and Verizon are constantly pushing the leadership of the House and Senate to pass HB 13 (Rep. King) and SB 5 (Sen. Fraser).

We know you're outnumbered; there are more registered telephone industry lobbyists than members of the House of Representatives. But this session was called to reform school finance and lower property taxes, not to appease lobbyists demanding special interest legislation simply to increase their profits.

We know the availability of advanced communications networks and services is vital for the people and communities of Texas. That's why consumers of these services deserve well-considered legislation, not 'one-day' lobby bills passed by tired, divided legislators.

We ask you to take the time needed to do this important job well. We ask that you consider the fact that no interest group or constituencies, other than big phone companies who stand to benefit, support the current versions of telecom legislation you are being asked to enact.

We are here today to tell you again the reasons we oppose these bills—to tell you why these bills will increase prices for consumers, how they will divide Texas communities, and how fair competition and consumer choice will be undermined by HB 13 and SB 5.

Please listen to our concerns. Texas needs your best efforts to consider and enact telecom laws that serve the interests of consumers rather than corporations.

While the groups standing together in opposition to these bills may see different reasons for opposing SB 5/HB 13—including increased rates, economic redlining, loss of community control, harm to competition and local businesses, plus pressures for hurried, secret passage—we all agree on one thing, that these bills are bad for Texas consumers.

Who, besides SBC and Verizon, wants these laws? Consumer groups, city leaders, competitive business have consistently opposed the ever-changing versions. Our Legislature would not pass these during previous sessions. So why let a lobby steamroll them through now? Telecom is vital for our state's economy and the daily lives of our families. Please get all the facts and hear all the viewpoints as you consider and decide the future of telecommunications in Texas.

We hope our leaders stay true to your commitment that no other issues are going to be taken up until our school finance system and property tax system are reformed.

When he called the first special session in June, Governor Perry set very clear priorities:

We're not going to talk about tuition revenue bonds, we're not going to talk about judicial pay raises, we're not going to talk about a telecom bill. We're not going to talk about anything until this is finished. None of those are going to be addressed until we address the most important issue in front of us… reforms of our schools and the property tax reduction.

In July, Lt. Governor Dewhurst promised to block all other legislation until there is a final agreement on school finance reforms and a tax bill to fund those reforms:

We're here to take care of school finance for the schoolchildren and parents and for the businesses of Texas… We want to go ahead and get Senate Bill 2, which is education reform, passed out of the Senate. We want to see the tax bill come over from the House and vote on that, and then I'll consider taking up those bills.

And just six days ago, Speaker Craddick made his recommendation to end the session:

We are wasting time and money, and it is unproductive to prolong this process.

We agree with the Speaker. As consumers, we strongly oppose the proposed telecom bills. As citizens, we resent lobbies' interests coming before our children. As Texans, we expect our leaders to keep their promises. Please don't let a lobby push a bad bill through today. Instead, let's talk and work together to create good laws for tomorrow.

Tim Morstad
Policy Analyst
Consumers Union

David Robertson
President
Texas ISP Association

Adina Levin
Chip Rosenthal
Save Muni Wireless

Joe Sanchez
Texas Associate State Director-Advocacy
AARP

Susy Woodford
Executive Director
Common Cause

Will Reed
President and CEO
Technology for All

To: Governor Perry, Lt. Governor Dewhurst, Members of the 79th Legislature

The Texas ISP Association and its member companies urge you to resist lobby pressures to enact any last minute telecommunications bills during this second special session. We hope you will instead allow enough time to hear from all telecom stakeholders, including consumers, communities and local businesspeople as you consider these important topics.

Telecom bills currently before you do not well serve our citizens or our economy. These lobby-sponsored bills benefit only a narrow special interest, at the expense of all others statewide. The current language would further damage competitive choices throughout Texas and worsen the already bad situation for independent ISP and telecom companies.

Please give competition a chance in Texas. Please let our voices be heard.

Sincerely,

David Robertson
President, Texas ISP Association

ISP-Planet commentary:

Even a brief perusal of the bill shows us that this is the typical RBOC wishlist: take franchising authority away from local entities (chapter 66), telecom deregulation like the failed Tauzin-Dingell (chapter 65), limit BPL deployments by electric companies by discounting ISP revenues during the rate setting process (chapter 43).

— End