ORDINANCE 942
AN ORDINANCE ADDRESSING THE PAYMENT OF CABLE TELEVISION FRANCHISE FEES IN THE CITY OF FARMER CITY, ILLINOIS
WHEREAS, Mediacom Illinois LLC operates a cable television system providing cable television services to households in the City of Farmer City, Illinois authorized under an Authorization to Offer Cable or Video Services granted by the Illinois Commerce Commission pursuant to 220 ILL. COMP. STAT. 5/21-401; and
WHEREAS, 220 ILL. COMP. STAT. 5/21-801 permits the City to collect service provider fees from a cable operator operating within the City pursuant to a state authorization; and
WHEREAS, the City hereby adopts this Ordinance in order to collect service provider fees from Mediacom Illinois LLC
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FARMER CITY, ILLINOIS AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Mediacom Illinois LLC shall pay an annual service provider fee to the City in an amount equal to 3% of annual gross revenues derived from the provision of cable or video service to households located within the City. The twelve (12) month period for the computation of the service provider fee shall be a calendar year.
SECTION 2. The service provider fee payment shall be due annually and payable within 90 days after the close of the preceding calendar year. Each payment shall be accompanied by a brief report prepared by a representative of the Grantee showing the basis for the computation. If mailed, the fee shall be considered paid on the date it is postmarked.
SECTION 3. For purposes of the calculation of the service provider fee, “gross revenues” shall mean consideration of any kind or nature, including, without limitation, cash, credits, property, and in-kind contributions received by Mediacom Illinois LLC for the operation of its cable system to provide cable or video service within the City, including the following : (i) recurring charges for cable service or video service; (ii) event-based for cable service or video service, including, but not limited to, pay-per-view and video-on-demand charges; (iii) rental of set-top boxes and other cable service or video service, including, but not limited to, activation, installation, and repair charges (v) administrative charges related to the provision of cable service or video service, including but not limited to service order and service termination charges; and (vi) late payment fees or charges, insufficient funds check charges, and other charges assessed to recover the costs of collecting delinquent payments.
SECTION 4. For purposes of the calculation of service provider fee, “gross revenues” shall not include: (i) revenues not actually received, even if billed, such as bad debt; (ii) the service provider fee or any tax, fee or assessment of general applicability; (iii) any revenues received from services not classified as cable service or video service, including, without limitation, revenue receive from telecommunications services, voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services, information services, the provision of directory or Internet advertising, or any other revenues attributed by the holder to noncable service or non video service in accordance with the holder’s books and records kept in the regular course of business and any applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, or orders; (vi) security deposits collected from subscribers to “home shopping” or similar vendors for merchandise sold through any home shopping channel offered as part of the cable service or video service.
SECTION 5. If any section, paragraph, subdivision, clause, sentence or provision of this Ordinance shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair, invalidate, or nullify the remainder thereof, which remainder shall remain and continue in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.
SECTION 7. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect upon its passage, approval, and publication in pamphlet form (which publication is hereby authorized) as provided by law.
This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its passage, approval and publication in pamphlet form
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY C0UNCIL OF THE CITY OF FARMER CITY, COUNTY OF DEWITT, ILLINOIS THIS 2ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2014
AYES: _______ NAYS: ______ ABSTAIN: ______ ABSENT: _____
_______________________________ _________________________
Michael Jenkins, mayor Sandra I Shaw, city clerk
