Cable increase unfair

EDITOR:

Just about every single resident of the Carson Valley has felt the pinch of the current recessionary economy. Many have been laid off, while others have been cut back on hours or salary. We are all scrimping and shaving expenditures wherever and whenever we can.

As an employer, I have restructured, eliminating $120,000 of my annual operating cost, taken a 50 percent cut in my personal pay and we are barely breaking even. We have developed an alternative revenue stream that, God willing, may just be the thing that keeps us going another 30 years.

All of the above being true and factual, imagine my chagrin when, upon actually reading the small print message on my latest Charter Cable invoice, I found that monopolies continue to sock it to us, no matter our financial situation or woes.

Right there in the middle of the bill, it states my December invoice will reflect a 20 percent increase in basic service. That is 20 percent, not 2 percent or 5 percent. That represents a huge jump in cost for any basic service. Imagine if the electric company or gas service were to try to charge a 20 percent increase. If that is not enough, internet connection service from Charter is going up a whopping 66 percent with the next invoice as well.

It is my understanding that Douglas County manages the relationship with the cable provider and negotiates rates. My simple question is: "Where the hell was Douglas County when Charter decided to stick it to us when we can least afford it?"

A few years back, I asked Douglas County why it didn't purchase the equipment from Charter and service cable customers themselves. Doing so would create an obviously profitable revenue stream for the county and we would likely receive better service and accountability ... especially since I was told no other carrier was willing to bid on the area's cable service. Such would even create a few jobs for our residents.

The question still stands. Where was Douglas County and what are they going to do about this catastrophic, unjust, unfair abuse?

Rick Campbell

Gardnerville