HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1999 0421 CC REG ITEM 11JrrEM I I . T.
CITY OF MOORPARX, CALIFORNIA
City Council Meeting
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MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
PAO 21
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: John E. Nowak, Assistant City Manager
DATE: 07 April 1999 (Council meeting of 04- 21 -99)
SUBJECT: Consider Resolution No. 99- Expressing Opposition
to Proposed 411 Rate Increase by SBC /Pac Bell
DISCUSSION: SBC /Pac Bell has submitted an application to
the California Public Utilities Commission to raise its
local directory assistance (411) charges from $0.25 per
call to up to $1.10. They are also proposing to increase
the emergency interrupt charge from $1.00 to $5.00. The
cost to local emergency services may be extremely high
since they are heavy users of this service. Since local
directories are often out -dated with few alternatives
available to consumers.
This matter is before the City Council at the request of
Mayor Hunter. The attached Resolution would express the
City Council's opposition to the rate increase.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the City Council adopt
Resolution No. 99- expressing the City's opposition to the
proposed SBC /Pac Bell rate increase requests.
Attached: Resolution No. 99-
RESOLUTION NO. 99-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA, EXPRESSING ITS OPPOSITION
TO THE PROPOSED SBC / PACIFIC BELL RATE
INCREASES.
WHEREAS, SBC /Pac Bell has applied to the California
Public Utilities Commission for permission to increase the
charge for local directory assistance calls from $0.25 up
to $1.10; a 340% increase; and
WHEREAS, in addition SBC /Pac Bell is asking to
increase the rate for an emergency break through call from
$1.00 to $5.00; and
WHEREAS, public safety agencies such as police, fire and
paramedic services frequently use local directory
assistance and emergency interrupt services as part of
their life- safety activities, these increases would create
a tremendous financial burden for these government
agencies; and
WHEREAS, the affect of these increases would dramatically
impact the elderly, those with physical disabilities and
low income households and only those with physical
disabilities that file an exemption with SBC /Pac Bell would
be exempted; and
WHEREAS, SBC /Pac Bell controls over 97% of the local
markets it serves; and
WHEREAS, unlike long distance information services, buy
virtue of SBC /Pac Bell's monopoly there is no competitor
that has as accurate and up -to -date information as SBC /Pac
Bell; and
WHEREAS, most consumers associate local directory
assistance with the numbers 411, not any other dial - around
number.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
MOORPARK DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Resolution No. 99-
Page 02
SECTION 1. The City
SBC /Pac Bell's application
Utilities Commission for the
local directory assistance
calls, and urges the PUC
outright.
Council does strongly oppose
before the California Public
excessive rate increases for
and emergency break through
to reject the application
SECTION 2. The City Council urges SBC /Pac Bell to
withdraw its application until such time as consumers in
the State of California have a competitive choice for their
local telephone services.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk is directed to forward a
copy of this Resolution to the California Public Utilities
Commission and to SBC /Pac Bell.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the
adoption of the resolution and shall cause a certified
resolution to be filed in the book of original Resolutions.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21't day of April 1999.
ATTEST:
Deborah S. Traffenstedt, City Clerk
Patrick Hunter, Mayor