Update 2: We learned more about CAR25's future on Monday night. The Finance and Personnel Committee voted unanimously to use $30,000 set aside in the 2009 budget for a part-time employee that was never hired to help the cable-access channel move into a larger office in the City Hall Annex. (CAR25 is now in the Annex's basement.) The move will start on Jan. 4.
What remains unclear is how extra money in CAR25's 2010 budget will be used. One idea is to buy equipment to tie the station into the AT&T Uverse package, which would also allow the city to stream CAR25 online and broadcast live from the City Hall. Another idea is to use the money to hire a consultant to create programming for CAR25.
Update: Here's a few more specifics on CAR25's budget. The city budgeted $80,860 for CAR25 in 2009. That number jumped to $115,903 in 2010. The bulk of the increase came under "operating expenditures," which jumped from $4,125 in 2009 to $44,375 in 2010. "Inter-Departmental" costs increased from $8,618 in 2009 to $14,500 in the 2010 budget. To offset some of the increase, "Salaries & Fringe Benefits" were cut from $67,891 in 2009 to $57,028 in the 2010 budget.
Original: CAR25 is getting attention from city leaders.
At issue is how to spend an additional $35,000 in the cable access station's 2010 budget. The money came from allocating an additional 5 percent from the city's telecommunications franchise fee paid by cable TV subscribers.
We're told some would like to use the money to hire consultants to create new programming for the station. The mayor's budget proposal alluded to this by suggesting the additional money will be used to pay for informational videos regarding "water, parks, streets, fire, police, health and other matters of public concern."
Insiders tell us the new programming would be used to hire consultants to create the informational videos. But some are skeptical. They'd rather see the money used to buy new equipment, tie the station into AT&T's cable system (CAR25 is currently unavailable to AT&T subscribers) and create the ability for live CAR25 broadcasts (for example, to broadcast City Council meetings).
Some are also worried about past efforts to hire consultants for CAR25. Former Mayor Gary Becker spent $30,000 on consultants with little to show for the money, according to insiders.
So the debate appears to center around spending the money on consultants or equipment for CAR25. Look for a decision to be made on the money in the next few weeks. The city's Cable TV Commission meets Jan. 18 and we're told a decision will be made before that meeting.
Dec 20, 2009
UPDATED: Consultants or equipment for Racine's cable-access station?
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34 comments:
This channel is a great addition to this city and has been for the past few years. It's free to the community and does NOT cost taxpayers a DIME! The channel already plays those videos proposed. Sounds like the mayor is proposing hiring one of his buddys! This is the community's channel, NOT THE MAYORS! This money should rightfully go to community to fund the channel and it's equipment NOT THE MAYOR!
Wrong, anon 7:08
"The money came from allocating an additional 5 percent from the city's telecommunications franchise fee paid by cable TV subscribers."
So they used money that we pay to Time Warner, that could be used for any purpose by the city, including reducing the need to tax us further - or, how about eliminating the franchise fee on Time Warner, which is nothing but another tax on Racine taxpayers.
How about just hire an out of work vdeographer part-time. Put people back to work
Very Wrong, Anon 7:29
You surely understand NOT everyone has TW Cable, thus, many many taxpayers are not paying a dime. That means it's the people who choose TW, NOT the average taxpayer that pay for TW. By the way i think the channel is just fine now. If a consultant is approved, it will surely have to be bid out in this city correct? Or is Dickert going to try and hire his personal friend or realative??? Watch this one closely Dustin!
How about returning the 5% to the people paying the fees and say the hell with CAR25?
Is $35,000 below the level that would require the city to put it out to bid? It could be a no bid contract.
I'll give CAR25 some free "consulting" -- fire the prom and 4th of July hosts. Both did terrible!
Actually it does cost the taxpayers, anything that is missing is made up by the IT budget. Also the city pays to house the office at the city hall annex. What I don't understand is how some of the unpatriotic garbage shown on there help the city.
The franchise fee brings $700,000 in to the city annually. CAR25 sees a small portion of that.
Companies don't pay taxes - whether you call it a tax, or a franchise fee, it is a tax - and like all taxes levied on companies, it is passed on to consumers.
Government uses this kind of subterfuge, because they know that if the taxpayers were aware of exactly how much of their money were going to feed the insatiable beast that is government, there would be a taxpayer revolt.
This channel is the community channel, it belongs to all of us who wish to take part. It does NOT belong to Dickert who just wants to use it for political gain and to try and get re-elected. Screw Dickert and his cronies.
The franchise fee is just another way for government to get into your pocket and expand its realm.
If we cut out the franchise fee we would cut out that much more pork and temptation for special interest groups.
Why not have the Racine car dealers pay a business fee that goes to support the bus system?
Or every home owner pay a fee (to be administered by some city union member employee) that goes to support homeless shelters?
Hey Dickert read the article, Becker tried this and it was a huge failure! Purchase the equipment for the community and to hell with a consultant.
The cable franchise bill only does one thing. It increases the cost of cable TV for Racinians who have cable. It's just another way to extract money form people in away that they have no way to fight it.
Just look at your water bill, phone bill, electric bill, gas bill, cable bill, cell phone bill, oil change bill, new tire bill, sewer bill, etc. and see all of the taxes that have been stuck in these by politicians who claim to be looking out for the average American. The pilfering of America continues and many Americans are too blind to event see it let alone resist.
ANON: Where does the money come from to run this cheesy programming? There is no such thing as free lunch (CAR 25). You have to take moneyt from somebody to pay for this.
anon 9:44 Or you could just not take money from anyone, and not pay for it. I'm sure it would bother the 4 people who watch CAR.
I am also certain that those few shows that people do watch - the 4th parade, the prom - could be paid for by local sponsors who would welcome the opportunity to advertise to those audiences.
I am also certain that those groups who want to make videos available to the community can do so, with or without CAR25. Millions do it every day - ever hear of youtube? Somehow, everyone from kids to grandmas can put together everything from news shows to how-to videos without a dollar of taxpayer funding.
I vote for equipment. Consultants rarely result in anything but some advice that you can't afford to implement anyway.
The equipment on the other hand will surely be put to use.
Another glaring example of how Dickert is totally unqualified to run this city. NO TO CONSULTANTS, It has not worked in the past! CAR25 as a cable access channel runs great now, I as a community resident would like to see the equipment. Keep up the great work CAR25!
"used to hire consultants to create the informational videos."
Someone please tell John Dickert that CAR 25 belongs to everyone in the City and does not exist top promote him or his cronies.
Here is an idea. Why not put Car25 on the Internet? Then everyone wins. Those who have Time Warner's Road Runner would have local programming available to their subscribers in addition to their cable service. Sounds like a natural extension to me. It shouldn't cost much to implement either. Let's get progressive.
5:34
Sounds like a good and sensible solution to me. I think most people could support that as opposed to consatans.
John Dickert = Joseph Goebbels
Internet? No way. Those freeloaders are killing the newspapers this way, so make them pay!
by gawd Anon 10:39 PM, you are so right. Look how many horse and buggy businesses those car factories put out of business. It is the same thing. Terrible, just awful. Keep those newspapers at all costs.
Why does the city need to host its own videos, when they could just put them on youtube for free? More and more businesses are getting away from owning their own IT hardware, and we're going in the other direction? Why?
A step further: With low cost video cameras, open source video editing software, etc there are many many people doing videos. None of them require the assistance of government. Why do Racine residents need all these resources?
Want to make a video? Buy a $200 camera, google "video editing", and you're in business - no tax $ required.
This mayor is ridiculous! Why the hell would you market Racine to Racine?? And Also, I have seen all these types of videos on CAR25 already and everything looks just fine! This reeks of some back door dealings and political pay-offs! Dickert must go!
So the budget for CAR25, which accounts for all the property taxes paid by around 40+ homeowners this year, was increased by 43%
They raised the budget,during a recession when almost 20% of those taxpayers are out of work, and probably worried about whether they will even be able to keep their homes.
Another government piglet (like public television) that should be removed from the nipple.
Eliminate the fee and let the high school students make the TV programming. I have seen what some of the students work and it is much better than what is currently on CAR25. How many of these types of channels do we really even need? Unified has their own, the city has their own, and hardly anyone watches them (but we sure pay for them)!
My whole family watches all the Common Council Meetings and our church also belongs to the channel. We like alot of the positive programming on the channel.
What you idiots fail to realize is that CH.25 also keeps most of those in city hall accountable! Watch the common council meetings every week, those are invaluable! Besides, if you don't have TW, you don't pay a thing. Keep up the good work CH.25!
There is a third option: this money will be spent on selling John Dickert and help him get reelected.
9:48
I think that John Dickert will use Car 25 to sell himself to the sheep for reelection. How else can his 10 year plan of more money, more money, more money, work?
Dickert must as well the lap dogs like Helding must go.
You people are all pathetic little whinners.
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