WPC( 2MB%RK<3|X Times New RomanTimes New Roman BoldP\  P6Q9XP#"i~'^09CSS999S]+9+/SSSSSSSSSS//]]]Ixnnxg]xx9?xgxx]xn]gxxxxg9/9MS9ISISI9SS//S/SSSS9?/SSxSSIP!PZ9+ZM999+99999999S/xIxIxIxIxIlnIgIgIgIgI9/9/9/9/xSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxIxSxRxSxSxS]SxIxIxInInInZnIxigIgIgIgIxSxSxSxZxSxZxS9/9S999Su]ZZxSg/gCg9g9g/xSbxSxSxSxSxn9n9n9]?]?]?]ZgFg/gMxSxSxSxSxSxSxxZgIgIgIxSg9xS]?g9xSi+SS88WuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxN3>T\>Q\Q\Q>\\33\3\\\\>F3\\\\QX%Xc>0cT>>>0>>>>>>>>\3QQQwyQrQrQrQrQ>3>3>3>3\\\\\\\\\\Q\Z\\\g\QQQyQyQycyQtrQrQrQrQ2 KZ N 3|X  "i~'^:DPddDDDdp4D48dddddddddd88pppX|pDL|pp||D8D\dDXdXdXDdd88d8ddddDL8ddddX`(`lD4l\DDD4DDDDDDDDd8XXXXXX|X|X|X|XD8D8D8D8ddddddddddXdbdddpdXXXXXlX~|X|X|X|XdddldldD8DdDDDdplld|8|P|D|D|8dvddddDDDpLpLpLpl|T|8|\ddddddl|X|X|Xd|DdpL|Dd~4ddC$CWxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNHxxH\dDXddddd8@d<@d<DDXXdDDxddzHxxHvppDXd<"dxtldpxxdHP5Si (Additional); Rm. 804_2; LPT2HPLA4SAD.PRSX\  P6G;\#[P I. A. 1. a.(1)(a) i) a) 1. 1. 1. a.(1)(a) i) a)2 < vV p k< Times New RomanTimes New Roman BoldTimes New Roman Italica8DocumentgDocument Style StyleXX` `  ` a4DocumentgDocument Style Style . a6DocumentgDocument Style Style GX  2k D v t_a5DocumentgDocument Style Style }X(# a2DocumentgDocument Style Style<o   ?  A.  a7DocumentgDocument Style StyleyXX` ` (#` BibliogrphyBibliography:X (# 2  B a1Right ParRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers:`S@ I.  X(# a2Right ParRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers C @` A. ` ` (#` a3DocumentgDocument Style Style B b  ?  1.  a3Right ParRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers L! ` ` @P 1. ` `  (# 2  |;a4Right ParRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers Uj` `  @ a. ` (# a5Right ParRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers _o` `  @h(1)  hh#(#h a6Right ParRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbersh` `  hh#@$(a) hh#((# a7Right ParRight-Aligned Paragraph NumberspfJ` `  hh#(@*i) (h-(# 25a8Right ParRight-Aligned Paragraph NumbersyW"3!` `  hh#(-@p/a) -pp2(#p Tech InitInitialize Technical Style. k I. A. 1. a.(1)(a) i) a) 1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 Technicala1DocumentgDocument Style Style\s0  zN8F I. ׃  a5TechnicalTechnical Document Style)WD (1) . 2gCa6TechnicalTechnical Document Style)D (a) . a2TechnicalTechnical Document Style<6  ?  A.   a3TechnicalTechnical Document Style9Wg  2  1.   a4TechnicalTechnical Document Style8bv{ 2  a.   2c3a1TechnicalTechnical Document StyleF!<  ?  I.   a7TechnicalTechnical Document Style(@D i) . a8TechnicalTechnical Document Style(D a) . Doc InitInitialize Document Stylez   0*0*0*  I. A. 1. a.(1)(a) i) a) I. 1. A. a.(1)(a) i) a)Documentg2#NeR""7#PleadingHeader for Numbered Pleading PaperE!n    X X` hp x (#%'0*,.8135@8:/>/>/>/x]SSSSx]x]x]x]xSxSx]SSxSxSf]xSxSxSxIxIxWxIx{nInInInISSSWS]a?/?]?9?]]WW]n/nKn9nCn/x]xx]x]SSxxIxIxI]?]?]?]WnUn9nax]x]x]x]x]x]xxWnInInIx]n9x]]?n9xSz+SS8-8WuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNI\\>>>\g0>03\\\\\\\\\\33gggQyyrg>Frgygrr>3>T\>Q\Q\Q>\\33\3\\\\>F3\\\\QX%Xc>0cT>>>0>>>>>>>>\3QQQQQwyQrQrQrQrQ>3>3>3>3\\\\\\\\\\Q\Z\\\g\QQQyQyQycyQtrQrQrQrQ\\\c\c\>3>\>>>\gcc\r3rIr>r>r3\l\\\\y>y>y>gFgFgFgcrMr3rT\\\\\\crQrQrQ\r>\gFr>\t0\\=!=WxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNBnnBT\>Q\\\\\3;\7;\7>>QQ\??n\\pBnnBmgg>Q\7"yyyy\njc\gnn\22KP-K/ e1!lK2"i~'^5>g\\>>>\g0>03\\\\\\\\\\>>ggg\yyrF\yrgyy>3>j\>\gQgQ>\g3>g3g\ggQF>g\\\QI(I_>0_j>>>0>>>>>>\>g3\\\\\QyQyQyQyQD3D3D3D3g\\\\gggg\\g\\\\pg\\\QQ_QyQyQyQyQ\\\_\gjF3FgF>Fgg__gy3ySy>yIy3ggg\\QQQgFgFgFg_y^y>yjgggggg_yQyQyQgy>ggFy>\0\\=2=WxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNBnnBa\>\\\\\\7>\7>\7>>\\\??n\\pBnnBsgg>\\7"yyyy\nlc\gnn\"i~'^ %,77\V%%%7>%7777777777>>>0eOIIOD>OO%*ODaOO>OI>DOOgOOD%%37%07070%777V7777%*77O77055;%;3%%%%%%%%%%%7O0O0O0O0O0aHI0D0D0D0D0%%%%O7O7O7O7O7O7O7O7O7O7O0O7O6O7O7O7>7O0O0O0I0I0I;I0OED0D0D0D0O7O7O7O;O7O;O7%%7%%%7M>;;O7DD,D%D%DO7AO7O7O7O7aOI%I%I%>*>*>*>;D.DD3O7O7O7O7O7O7gOO;D0D0D0O7D%O7>*D%O7E77%%WMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxN(BB(37%07777j7#TT7!#TT7T!%%007n&&Bn77lCTn(nBB(A\\>>n%07\n!"IIIITTenn7TnB@;7>lBBn7footnote referencefootnote reference Default Paragraph FoDefault Paragraph Font! 24"l2#xU3$l3%l94Document 8Document 8" Document 4Document 4#  Document 6Document 6$ Document 5Document 5% 29&l4'lC5(5)7Document 2Document 2& Document 7Document 7' Right Par 1Right Par 1(` hp x (#X` hp x (#X` hp x (#` hp x (#Right Par 2Right Par 2)` hp x (#X` hp x (#0X` hp x (#0` hp x (#2@*l:+:,<->Document 3Document 3* Right Par 3Right Par 3+` hp x (#X` P hp x (#X` P hp x (#` hp x (#Right Par 4Right Par 4,` hp x (#X` hp x (#0X` hp x (#0` hp x (#Right Par 5Right Par 5-` hp x (#X` hp x (#X` hp x (#` hp x (#2I.A/3C0QE1(oGRight Par 6Right Par 6.` hp x (#X` hp x (#0X` hp x (#0` hp x (#Right Par 7Right Par 7/` hp x (#X` hp x (#X` hp x (#` hp x (#Right Par 8Right Par 80` hp x (#X` hp x (#0X` hp x (#0` hp x (#Document 1Document 11` hp x (#X` hp x (#X` hp x (#` hp x (#2N2$I3$K4lN5l}NTechnical 5Technical 52` hp x (#X` hp x (# X` hp x (#` hp x (#Technical 6Technical 63` hp x (#X` hp x (# X` hp x (#` hp x (#Technical 2Technical 24 Technical 3Technical 35 2U6$O7l?Q8$Q9$STechnical 4Technical 46` hp x (#X` hp x (# X` hp x (#` hp x (#Technical 1Technical 17 Technical 7Technical 78` hp x (#X` hp x (# X` hp x (#` hp x (#Technical 8Technical 89` hp x (#X` hp x (# X` hp x (#` hp x (#2^:%V;CX<aZ=\toc 1toc 1:` hp x (#!(#B!(#B` hp x (#toc 2toc 2;` hp x (#` !(#B` !(#B` hp x (#toc 3toc 3<` hp x (#` !(# ` !(# ` hp x (#toc 4toc 4=` hp x (# !(#  !(# ` hp x (#2e>^?`@v cActoc 5toc 5>` hp x (#h!(# h!(# ` hp x (#toc 6toc 6?` hp x (#!(#!(#` hp x (#toc 7toc 7@ toc 8toc 8A` hp x (#!(#!(#` hp x (#2InBeCgD jE+ltoc 9toc 9B` hp x (#!(#B!(#B` hp x (#index 1index 1C` hp x (#` !(# ` !(# ` hp x (#index 2index 2D` hp x (#` !(#B` !(#B` hp x (#toatoaE` hp x (#!(# !(# ` hp x (#2NpFv{nGlnHr]oIocaptioncaptionF _Equation Caption_Equation CaptionG endnote referenceendnote referenceH head1 #I'd#2p}wC@ #2rJ}pKpLqMra1Paragraph R!1. a. i. (1) (a) (i) 1) a)D )DDDFrfJ$ a2Paragraph R!1. a. i. (1) (a) (i) 1) a)D )DDDFrfK/` ` ` a3Paragraph R!1. a. i. (1) (a) (i) 1) a)D )DDDFrfL:` ` `  a4Paragraph R!1. a. i. (1) (a) (i) 1) a)D )DDDFrfME` ` `  2uNrOsPEtQua5Paragraph R!1. a. i. (1) (a) (i) 1) a)D )DDDFrfNP  ` ` ` hhh a6Paragraph R!1. a. i. (1) (a) (i) 1) a)D )DDDFrfO[   a7Paragraph R!1. a. i. (1) (a) (i) 1) a)D )DDDFrfPf  a8Paragraph R!1. a. i. (1) (a) (i) 1) a)D )DDDFrfQq 2'KvR" KxSomK܅"i~'^"(22TN"""28"2222222222888,\HBBH>8HH"&H>XHH8HB8>HH^HH>"".2",2,2,"222N2222"&22H22,006"6."""""""""""2H,H,H,H,H,XAB,>,>,>,>,""""H2H2H2H2H2H2H2H2H2H2H,H2H1H2H2H282H,H,H,B,B,B6B,H?>,>,>,>,H2H2H2H6H2H6H2""2"""2F866H2>>(>">">H2;H2H2H2H2XHB"B"B"8&8&8&86>*>>.H2H2H2H2H2H2^HH6>,>,>,H2>"H28&>"H2?22!!WFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxN$<<$.2",2222`2 LL2 LL2L"",,2d""M\\>>>\}0>03\\\\\\\\\\>>}}}\rryrr>Qygyrr\grrggF3FM\>\\Q\Q3\\33Q3\\\\FF3\QyQQFI3Ic>0cM>>>0>>>>>>\>\3r\r\r\r\r\yyQrQrQrQrQ>3>3>3>3y\\\\\\\\\gQr\\\\gQ\r\r\r\r\yQyQycyQnrQrQrQrQ\\\c\c\>3>\>>>\\ccyQg3gBg>g;g3y\jy\y\\\yrFrFrF\F\F\FccgBg3gM\\\\\\ygcgFgFgF\g>y\\Fg>g\n0\\=(=WddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddNBnnB_\F\\\\\\3;\7;\7>>gg\??n\\pBnnBb\\>g\7"yyyy\njc\}nn\2 KYKKZ:"i~'^09FSS999Sq+9+/SSSSSSSSSS99qqqSggnxggxx9In]nxgxgS]xgg]]?/?FS9SSISI/SS//I/xSSSS??/SInII?C/CZ9+ZF999+999999S9S/gSgSgSgSgSnnIgIgIgIgI9/9/9/9/nSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxS]IgSxSxSxS]IxSgSgSgSgSnInInZnIxdgIgIgIgIxSxSxSxZxSxZxS9/9S999SSZZnI]/]<]9]5]/nSanSnSxSxSng?g?g?S?S?S?ZZ]<]/]FxSxSxSxSxSxSn]Z]?]?]?xS]9nSS?]9]Sd+SS8%8WuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddNg\\>>>\g0>03\\\\\\\\\\>>ggg\yyrF\yrgyy>3>j\>\gQgQ>\g3>g3g\ggQF>g\\\QI(I_>0_j>>>0>>>>>>\>g3\\\\\QyQyQyQyQD3D3D3D3g\\\\gggg\\g\\\\pg\\\QQ_QyQyQyQyQ\\\_\gjF3FgF>Fgg__gy3ySy>yIy3ggg\\QQQgFgFgFg_y^y>yjgggggg_yQyQyQgy>ggFy>\0\\=2=WxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNBnnBa\>\\\\\\7>\7>\7>>\\\??n\\pBnnBsgg>\\7"yyyy\nlc\gnn\"i~'^ %,77\V%%%7>%7777777777>>>0eOIIOD>OO%*ODaOO>OI>DOOgOOD%%37%07070%777V7777%*77O77055;%;3%%%%%%%%%%%7O0O0O0O0O0aHI0D0D0D0D0%%%%O7O7O7O7O7O7O7O7O7O7O0O7O6O7O7O7>7O0O0O0I0I0I;I0OED0D0D0D0O7O7O7O;O7O;O7%%7%%%7M>;;O7DD,D%D%DO7AO7O7O7O7aOI%I%I%>*>*>*>;D.DD3O7O7O7O7O7O7gOO;D0D0D0O7D%O7>*D%O7E77%%WMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxN(BB(37%07777j7#TT7!#TT7T!%%007n&&Bn77lCTn(nBB(A\\>>n%07\n!"IIIITTenn7TnB@;7>lBBn7y.X80,X\  P6G;P7jC:,9Xj\  P6G;XP7nC:,|Xn4  pG;Xy.\80,T\4  pG;2a=5,&a\  P6G;&P2e=5,&e4  pG;&P:% ,J:\  P6G;JP\X{,W80,%W*f9 xr G;XY2a=5,0&a\  P6G;&P Z2e=5,D&e4  pG;&[P:% ,1J:\  P6G;JP\0_=5,% &_*f9 xr G;&X        2\ʓ/&y.X80,X\  P6G;P 7jC:,9Xj\  P6G;XP7nC:,|Xn4  pG;Xy.\80,T\4  pG;2a=5,&a\  P6G;&P2e=5,&e4  pG;&P:% ,J:\  P6G;JPH5!,i,5\  P6G;,P\0_=5,%&_*f9 xr G;&X\{,W80,%0W*f9 xr G;X yO- X   ) S-  #&a\  P6G;&P#Federal Communications Commission`}(#DA 971855 ă  yxdddy )Պv3 Before the Federal Communications Commission  yO} Washington, D.C. 20554 ă  SX-#Xj\  P6G;9XP##Xj\  P6G;9XP##&a\  P6G;&P# #iB.   S-In the Matter of  hh@)hCUID Nos. MI0200 (Benton Charter Township) x` `  hh@) MI0566 (St. Joseph)  S-Greene County Partners, Inc.hh@)hppT  S-x` `  hh @)hpp   Sh-Order Dismissing Rate Complaintshh@)hpp x` `  hh@  S -< ORDER TP  S -X` hp x (#%'0*,.8135@8:affiliate, serves in the aggregate fewer than 1 percent of all subscribers in the United States and is not  S- xyaffiliated with any entity or entities whose gross annual revenues in the aggregate exceed $250,000,000.") yO-#Xj\  P6G;9XP##X\  P6G;P#э#X\  P6G;P# 47 U.S.C. Section 543(m)(2) (1996).  xThe Commission's rules currently define one percent of all cable subscribers in the United States as  S8- xjequivalent to 617,000 subscribers. 8x) {OP - xԍ 47 C.F.R. Section 76.1403(b). See Implementation of Cable Act Reform Provisions of the Telecommunications  yO -Act of 1996, 11 FCC Rcd 5937 (1996). The Commission's rules also define an affiliated entity as one which  x"holds a 20 percent or greater equity interest, passive or active, in the operator or exercises de jure or de  S- xfacto control over the operator."M ) yOZ-ԍ 47 C.F.R. Section 76.1403(c) (1996).M In the 1996 Act, Congress determined that, effective February 8, 1996,  xthe Commission shall not apply its CPST rate regulation rules, promulgated under Sections 623(a), (b)  S- xand (c) of the Communications Act, b ) X-ԍ#Xj\  P6G;9XP# #X\  P6G;P#47 U.S.C. Sections 543(a) (c) (1996). to a small cable operator in any franchise area in which that operator  Sp-services 50,000 or fewer subscribers. p ) {O#- xԍ Section 623(m)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Section 543(m)(1) (1996).  {O-See also 47 C.F.R. Section 76.1403(a).  S - ` 2x4.` ` Our review reveals that Operator is a small cable company pursuant to Section 623(m)(2)  S - x>of the Communications Act.L o ) yO-ԍ 47 U.S.C. Section 543(m)(2) (1996).L Because Operator serves fewer than 50,000 subscribers in each of the  xMfranchise areas in which the communities listed above are located, the Operator's CPST rates in these  x[communities have effectively been deregulated by the 1996 Act. The complaints against the Operator in  xthese communities were filed prior to the passage of the 1996 Act. We conclude, given all of the  x>circumstances presented including, in particular, the Congressional finding that post1996 CPST rate  x regulation is unjustified for systems of this size, that there is no likelihood that adjudication of these  x\complaints through to the end of the process would result in a net rate benefit to subscribers. To the  x-contrary, this process would engage the resources of both the private parties involved and the Commission,  xwhile the system operator, in light of Section 623(m), could not effectively be restricted from offsetting  S- x^any possible prior years' liability against a contemporaneous actual or putative rate increase.") yO/#- xԍ Subscribers who may have been overcharged by Operator in the past and have since discontinued cable service  xare not generally paid refund amounts in any event. The Commission's rules permits cable operators to credit refund  {O$- x<amounts to the class of subscribers that currently subscribe to the cable programming service tier. See 47 C.F.R. Section 76.961(b)(2) (1996).  xAccordingly, the complaints will be dismissed. We find this course of action not only consistent with"h,p(p(88"  xNSection 623 but necessary to implement the Congressional intent embodied in the small company  S-provisions of the 1996 Act and to avoid futile adjudications.) yO@- x,ԍ In this regard we note that the Communications Act provides the Commission with wide discretion to resolve  {O- xrate complaints pending before it. See, e.g., Section 4(j) of the Communications Act ("Commission may conduct  {O- x<its proceedings in such manner as will best conduce to the proper dispatch and to the ends of justice."). See also  {O- x-Sections 4(i), 303(r), 623(b)(2)(A);  New York State Department of Law v. FCC, 984 F. 2d 1209, 1213 (DC Cir.  {Of-1993).  ą x  S- ` x5.` ` Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Sections 4(i), 4(j), 303(r) and 623(m) of the  xLCommunications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Sections 154(i), 154(j) 303(r) and 543(m), that the  xcomplaints against the CPST rates charged by Operator in the communities referenced above ARE DISMISSED.  S- ` x6.` ` This action is taken pursuant to delegated authority under Section 0.321 of the  xCommission's rules, 47 C.F.R. Section 0.321. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or  xphrase of this Order is declared invalid for any reason, the remaining portions of this Order shall be severable from the invalid part and shall remain in full force and effect. x` `  hhFEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION x` `  hhMargaret M. Egler x` `  hhActing Chief, Financial Analysis and Compliance Division  S-x` `  hhCable Services Bureau#Xj\  P6G;9XP#