COMMENTS OF BLOSSOM A. PERETZ, ESQ.
DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF THE RATEPAYER ADVOCATE

PRESENTED BY MICHELLE GILES
LEGISLATIVE LIAISON

BEFORE THE NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE
ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS & UTILITIES COMMITTEE
State House Annex, Committee Room 1

JUNE 4, 2001 10 a.m.

Good afternoon Chairman Zecker and members of the Assembly Telecommunications & Utilities Committee. I am the legislative liaison with the Division of the Ratepayer Advocate. I’m here today on behalf of Blossom A. Peretz, the Ratepayer Advocate, who regrets not being able to personally address the committee.

The Ratepayer Advocate has always supported legislation protecting consumers. This is especially true when that legislation protects consumers with special needs, such as New Jersey’s lower income senior citizens and the disabled.

In this day and age of information exchange, cable television plays a crucial role. It is now common knowledge that most of us with a television set cannot get adequate reception without a basic cable connection. For many, a basic cable connection is their only means of receiving not only entertainment, but essential public access, educational, and government channels. For these reasons, cable television is no longer a luxury, but for many, it is a necessity.

The Ratepayer Advocate has spent years promoting access to more affordable cable television programming, which is why we support bill A-2579. This measure paves the way for much-needed discounts on necessary basic services for New Jersey’s lower-income senior citizens as well as the disabled.

For many of our state’s senior citizens, most of whom live on fixed incomes, skyrocketing cable rates function as a severe obstacle to obtaining lifeline services. With many of these seniors and disabled residents housebound, cable television is often their only access to the community. Public education and government channels provide crucial information -- ranging from county and local tax issues to Social Security information to weather emergencies.

Senior citizens deserve affordable access to the community. The Ratepayer Advocate believes it is the responsibility of the cable companies to provide a discount to the state’s low-income senior citizens.

Many cable companies have voluntary provided this discount in franchise agreements. This legislation furthers that effort by mandating discounts to senior citizens who meet the requirements of the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) program, thereby ensuring low-income senior citizens and the disabled throughout the state are provided with community access.

With the lack of industry competition, cable rates have soared, leaving the consumer, particularly the low-income senior citizen, defenseless against industry monopolies. This legislation serves to protect these consumers.

The Ratepayer Advocate urges the committee to move forward with this legislation. New Jersey needs to be a leader in not only the ‘Information Age’ but the ‘Accessible Information Age.’ Thank you.

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