Competition is good

The NC General Assembly actually passed a reasonable bill -- perhaps for the first time this year. House Bill 2047 passed both the House and Senate. It's heralded as cable deregulation, and it primarily is, which is a good thing. The gist of the bill is to stop local government from granting monopolies on cable service -- instead of only allowing one cable company in an area, any provider is allowed to service any area (as long as they ask permission, of course, from the state).

However, buried in the bill there are some other things -- whose inclusion surely is the only reason something that increases freedom could pass the Democrat-controlled General Assembly:

Section § 160A‑211 allows cities to add dozens and dozens of NEW taxes. They can now tax outdoor theaters, movie theaters, private investigators, pawnbrokers, contractors, elevator installers, restaurants, firearms dealers, automobile dealers, and dozens of others businesses that previously were free to conduct business are now NO LONGER free to do so -- without paying a "privilege fee" to the city.

Oh, and it adds more employees and more work for the state "Consumer Protection Division."

So yes, cable competition is good -- but this bill also raises taxes -- like nearly every other bill the Democrats in North Carolina support.

(H/T to Freedom Works).

Posted by: Ogre at 11:52 AM

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