Review of Franchise Fee and PEG Payments to the Rainier Communications Commission

Pierce County is located on southern Puget Sound, covers 1,679 square miles (excluding water and federal land), and has an estimated population of 952,600 (2024). The county seat and largest city is Tacoma, located approximately 23 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Population in the unincorporated areas of the county is estimated at 447,645 (2024).

The County Council is the policy-making body of Pierce County and consists of seven elected members. The County Executive, who is also independently elected, serves as chief executive officer.

In 1992, Pierce County and several cities and towns jointly created and became members of the Rainier Communications Commission (RCC). The purpose of the RCC is to provide video services, share broadband and telecom policy information, jointly negotiate cable television franchise agreements with cable television companies, and resolve cable customer complaints. The membership includes Pierce County, Puyallup, University Place, Sumner, Fife, Orting, DuPont, and Ruston.

The Commission is more commonly known as PCTV, providing video production services to RCC members and maintaining its TV channel. PCTV is a PEG channel (Public, Education, Government) which offers council meeting coverage and government video content for public information and outreach. PCTV leases space at Bates Technical College, as part of its educational partnership with two-year colleges in Pierce County.

A special fund has been established with Pierce County, as Administering Member, for all revenues, reimbursements, and expenditures made from the fund, along with a restricted capital budget for video equipment purchases. RCC is funded by 0.875% from each member's gross cable franchise fee revenues. Capital equipment is funded by 0.375% of gross revenues.

RCC members have franchise agreements with Comcast authorizing them to construct, operate, and maintain a Cable system in, across, under, upon, along, and over roads, rights-of-way, highways, and County or city property.

The proposed study would review of payments made under terms of their franchise agreements by Comcast to Pierce County and other RCC members who choose to participate for use of the public rights-of-way.