County Cuts Deal On Cable Channels

TAMPA - Hillsborough County will not challenge Bright House Networks over the cable company's decision to move government and educational programming to higher channel numbers and charge customers to access those channels.

Instead, Hillsborough has reached an agreement with the cable company that gives county government $150,000 in free advertising over the next two years. Bright House also will provide free converter boxes to county offices to access public programming. The company's basic cable subscribers must pay $1 a month if they want the converter boxes.

On Dec. 11, Bright House moved its public, government and education programming channels from the teens and 20s on the dial into the 600s. Subscribers with basic cable do not get the higher spectrum without a converter box.

The cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg, complaining the Bright House channel move would deny people access to their local governments, sued the company in federal court.

Hillsborough Commissioner Jim Norman, though, said the county had little choice but to strike the deal with Bright House and gain advantage for local taxpayers. He said the county should have tried harder to stop state legislation passed last spring that took away local governments' power to regulate cable companies and gave that power to the state.

"We pound our staff about finding efficiencies, and they went out and cut a deal that Tampa didn't cut," Norman said. "We are light years better now because of this negotiated agreement than all the other municipalities and governments."

Deputy County Administrator Wally Hill said the advertising will not be used to fight proposed constitutional amendments such as an initiative to create a county mayor or an amendment on the ballot in January to cut property taxes.

"It's just telling people about how their tax dollars are being spent and how that affects their lives," Hill said.

Commissioner Rose Ferlita was the only no vote on the deal, saying many residents will stop following county government on TV.

In other action, the commission agreed to seek $1.2 million in federal money to explore starting a ferry service between Tampa and St. Petersburg. If the study shows a ferry service could be successful, county planners want to start a pilot project.

Commissioner Brian Blair at first objected to the study, saying it would cost taxpayers money. He changed his mind, however, after other commissioners expressed support.

Norman said Hillsborough is "one of the unique counties in the world to be able to take advantage of this" and a ferry service "could make us a tremendous destination point."

The study would examine whether water taxis can succeed, their costs and how best to operate them.