December 4, 2015

Steve Holmes

Vice President, Government Affairs
Comcast Cable, West Division
15815 25?h Avenue West
Washington 98104

Dear Mr. Holmes,

We appreciate the opportunity to work with you on a new 10 year franchise to allow Comcast to continue
selling cable television service in the City of Seattle through 2026. We appreciate the community bene?ts
Comcast provided as part of our agreement, such as free cable modem internet service to 600 community
organizations. We recognize the bene?ts pr0posed for Seattle exceed the bene?ts provided in other cities
that recently negotiated Comcast franchises.

That said, we were disappointed to learn of the franchise agreed to between Comcast and the City of
Philadelphia, announced on Thursday, December 3, 2015. Speci?cally, Comcast made a large
commitment to the people of Philadelphia to increase internet access to low-income residents of the city,
provide discounted access to seniors and all low-income households, and increase digital equity.
Affordability and equity are issues that are central to the City of Seattle, and we continued to press for
those values during our negotiations. Having seen the commitment towards equity and affordability in
Philadelphia, we believe the people of Seattle deserve the same level of commitment from Comcast.

The City will hold consideration of Council Bill 1 18549, which would approve the Comcast Franchise
agreement, until Seattle?s agreement is signi?cantly improved. This vote was originally scheduled for a
?nal vote on Monday, December 7, 2015. We have directed the Department of Information Technology
(DolT) to work with your team to identify additional opportunities to lower the cost of Comcast?s intemet
service for those with low incomes, thus increasing internet access, and to identify opportunities to further
enhance digital equity in our City.

We ask for your help reaching a timely resolution.

Sincerely, 

?Lu

dward B. Murray 'Bruce A. Harrell
Mayor, City of Seattle Councilmember, City of Seattle

  
    

cc: Seattle City Councilmembers
Michael Mattmiller, ChiefTechnology Of?cer, City of Seattle

 

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