A Message from the Don't Hurt Colorado Campaign

Did You Know.....

Proposition 101 Unfailry Targets Rural Colorado

The quality and reliability of telephone service - landline and cellular - in rural Colorado will face serious challenges if Proposition 101 passes this November.  Proposition 101 would eliminate the modest fees that go to the High Cost Fund, which subsidizes phone service in Colorado's rural areas. Think of rural phone service as being similar to rural highways.  With its sparse population, rural Colorado cannot afford to build and maintain a network of rural roads all on its own.  Some of the gas tax from urban areas goes toward maintaining rural roads.

The same is true with the rural telephone system.

As the Denver Business Journal reported in a recent article: "The 2.2 percent charge added to most residential bills raised $58.6 million in 2009 and is meant to reimburse telcoms for the cost of providing basic phone service in rural areas in order to keep rates affordable." 

While there are some requirements in place regarding landline, increased cell service in rural areas could be in jeopardy. Again quoting from the DBJ: "The spread of wireless phone service in small towns on the northeastern plains and in the state's San Luis Valley could be crippled if the ballot initiative passes."  That's according to a representative of Fort Morgan-based Viaero Wireless.

Rural Colorado depends on a vital, expanding communications system.  The High Cost Fund is a reasonable method of allocating those costs among all users.

For this reason, and many others, Proposition 101 unfairly targets rural Colorado.