From: malQassRimiMlation@gmail.com   
      
   On Wed, Dec 01, 2021 at 12:39:41AM -0500, Michael Trew wrote:   
   > In a letter summarizing the November 19 meeting, Charter referenced pole   
   > attachment disputes in Kentucky, Hawaii, California, and South Carolina but   
   > mentioned only one pole owner by name. Charter cited Warren Rural Electric   
   > Cooperative Corporation, a local power company in Kentucky, as an example of   
   > a pole owner that was being uncooperative."   
      
   I'm of two minds on this issue, and I wonder if someone can explain if   
   there is a basis for Charter's claims in common law.   
      
   Some things are meant to be shared: your car is entitled to just as   
   much space in the lane as mine. I pay a road tax with every gallon of   
   gas that I buy, as you do, and in theory our shared payments are used   
   to keep the roads in good repair, with motorists who drive farther   
   paying more for fuel and therefore contributing more in taxes toward   
   road wear and tear.   
      
   In like manner, rights of way and access to them are assigned to   
   private companies in order to achieve public benefits: it's difficult   
   to imagine a telephone pole without any electric wires at the top, and   
   those poles use rights-of-way next to public streets because they   
   prevent children from being electrocuted.   
      
   But, every profit-making enterprise is always trying to increase its   
   profits, an so it goes in this case. Charter's claims amount to a   
   demand that their stockholders enjoy the investments that phone and   
   electric company shareholders made in poles, siting, construction,   
   maintenane, local license fees, accident repairs, and all the other   
   expenses that go with having infrastructure in the first place.   
      
   Charter doesn't want to contribute to those costs, even though the   
   body politic had to forego the taxes or other income that could have   
   been collected when they were erected so many years ago. I think that   
   it's time for the taxpayers to get their share.   
      
   Bill   
      
   --   
   Bill Horne   
   (Remove QRM from my address to write to me directly)   
      
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