November 12, 2005

Response to Mike Green's column, "From the RIGHT side"

Not my debt ... City owns responsibility for AFN debacle

A big thank you is in order for Mike Green's article on Ashland's Flailing Network (11-8). It is about time someone, especially a writer for the Daily Tidings, told the whole truth about the AFN debacle. Citizens of Ashland never had a say in the financing of this albatross yet we are saddled with increasing debt which we will each be forced to pay come January if the $7.50 monthly fee is added to our utility bills.

Count me as one who will never pay the fee, not because I can't afford it but as a matter of principle.

As much as the city councilors love to think of Ashland as an independent socialist state, the fact of the matter is that we are not. We are part of a capitalist society even though we, as a community of free thinkers, will not mutely sit by and be dictated to by the few who wield power. Many have retained attorneys of their own to fight the unlawful fee. Just how much uglier does this issue have to get before the city gets the message that AFN needs to be sold?

Sure, there are those out there that say the city of Ashland has a debt and it is up to all of us to pay that debt by switching to AFN in an effort to save the failing enterprise. Realistically, that just isn't going to happen. There are hundreds of people out there like me, who live in the city but have been told they will never be able to receive AFN as the fiber optic lines don't exist in their neighborhood and never will.

How much more debt would AFN have to incur to install these lines to gain a handful of customers?

To say that selling AFN would cause Charter customer's rates to go up is a misnomer, as Qwest DSL is heavily marketing to this area and will compete with Charter for customers whether AFN is still in existence or not.

It is time for the city to face reality and divest itself of this failing enterprise.

Instead of trying to collect additional fees to cover AFN debt perhaps the city should think about tightening its belt and showing some fiscal responsibility. Maybe not purchasing additional park lands or entering into any questionable business enterprises, like AFN, for a few years would get us out of debt without resorting to additional fees on necessary utilities.

Jackie Hassell
Ashland

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