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> It's a tax that the municipality requires the ISP to collect. Really? How does this requirement supposedly work to your understanding? What exactly would hap

> It's a tax that the municipality requires the ISP to collect. Really? How does this requirement supposedly work to your understanding? What exactly would happen if Comcast charged the wrong amount of tax to some customers. Do the customers get a receipt so that they know they've paid the correct local taxes? The reality is that your village taxes Comcast via this "franchise agreement". Comcast have no obligation to "pass through" that cost to their customers in your village, they choose to charge opaque and vague extra "fees" which may or may not be adjusted according to the tax, and you are (presumably inadvertently) now here arguing that a giant corporation is the victim because they have to pay taxes like everybody else.

tptacek 3y ago
We would sue them, and collect in state court. The contract literally stipulates the fees as "passed through" to subscribers. You've writing very confidently here, but, again: this is one of the rare instances where I have strong opinions about things because I've had to work with them. I have the impression that I've read a franchise contract, and you haven't. Am I wrong?
- tialaramex 3y ago
  > We would sue them, and collect in state court. That would work if Comcast didn't pay you but that's not the scenario under discussion, I asked what happens if they don't charge their customers exactly what you wanted and the answer is "Nothing". You don't have standing to insist Comcast charge this fee to their customers, that's between Comcast and their customers. > I have the impression that I've read a franchise contract, and you haven't. Am I wrong? I have the impression that you haven't read the enabling law for this, and you've assumed that "pass through" establishes some sort of magical tax at a distance when it's merely permission for them to pass these taxes on to their customers. Comcast are not, in fact, required to do this but they choose to do so. Specifically the 1934 Communications Act (yeah, I know, that's a super old law, it was updated to explain how cable TV works) tells cable companies that they may pass through such franchise fees to their end customer. Note the word used, not "must".

tptacek 3y ago

We would sue them, and collect in state court. The contract literally stipulates the fees as "passed through" to subscribers. You've writing very confidently here, but, again: this is one of the rare instances where I have strong opinions about things because I've had to work with them. I have the impression that I've read a franchise contract, and you haven't. Am I wrong?

tialaramex 3y ago
> We would sue them, and collect in state court. That would work if Comcast didn't pay you but that's not the scenario under discussion, I asked what happens if they don't charge their customers exactly what you wanted and the answer is "Nothing". You don't have standing to insist Comcast charge this fee to their customers, that's between Comcast and their customers. > I have the impression that I've read a franchise contract, and you haven't. Am I wrong? I have the impression that you haven't read the enabling law for this, and you've assumed that "pass through" establishes some sort of magical tax at a distance when it's merely permission for them to pass these taxes on to their customers. Comcast are not, in fact, required to do this but they choose to do so. Specifically the 1934 Communications Act (yeah, I know, that's a super old law, it was updated to explain how cable TV works) tells cable companies that they may pass through such franchise fees to their end customer. Note the word used, not "must".