By David A. Sargent,Special to the Sun Journal

AUBURN – Residents questioned the Auburn City Council about their cable television service Monday night in light of a change of ownership.

The taxi rates went up by 50 cents, and a citizen voiced concern that cable rates might also rise under new ownership.

There were brief comments from two citizens in the public hearing on the proposed purchase of Adelphia Communications by Time Warner Cable TV.

Kevin Simpson, who lives on Summer Street, said he is concerned that prices seem to go up every time a cable company is bought out. He said he recalls that happening when Adelphia took over from Adams-Russell several years ago.

“Has any thought been given about municipal ownership of cable?” he asked. He acknowledged that it can be a complicated process and is not done often.

Auburn Mayor Normand Guay explained that City Manager Patricia Finnigan represents Auburn on a consortium of municipalities overseeing the cable company transfer process.

Although municipalities cannot negotiate rates with the cable companies, he said “there are contracts that are existing that have to be honored.” He added that several municipalities working together can provide some clout in the process.

Michael Dixon, an Auburn resident, asked if it will be possible to retain an Adelphia e-mail address after the sale to Time Warner. Finnigan agreed to raise that question, but she emphasized that the negotiations deal with cable TV only and not with the company’s Internet services.

She also reported that the first negotiating session with Time Warner will be on Friday. She said she has heard some comments from other Auburn residents and she will be presenting all the concerns at that meeting.

“This is the time when they are going to want to put their best foot forward,” Finnigan said, expressing optimism that new owners will listen to the municipalities.

After another brief public hearing, the Auburn councilors approved a 50-cent taxi rate increase in each zone in Auburn. The increase request was brought by Daniel Leonas, owner of City Cab Co. and Two In One Taxi. Ward 5 Councilor Belinda Gerry opposed the increase.

Councilors commended Leonas and previous taxi company owners for maintaining reasonable times between their rate increase requests. The last rate increase – a 25-cent hike – was on Sept. 20, 2004, and there was another 50-cent increase on Aug. 6, 2001.

Dixon also commented on the taxi rate increase request. He suggested that the city of Auburn might want to look into some kind of fuel surcharge rather than voting for increases that later require a vote for a decrease, if appropriate.

The council’s action followed a vote last week in Lewiston, where the City Council approved an increase using a different process involving a formula. Auburn’s councilors agreed that they should be looking at a uniform process for the Twin Cities.

In their workshop prior to the regular meeting, councilors agreed to ask the Transit Committee of the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments to add taxi rates to their scope of review. Councilor Gerry serves on that committee and she will follow through on the council’s request.

Leonas agreed to work with that committee to help members understand the taxi zones and rate issues, since the Transit Committee’s normal subject is bus transportation.

In other business, the Auburn City Council passed in second reading an ordinance with zoning text amendments to the Shoreland Overlay District.

Councilors also established a Joint Audit Committee between the municipal government and the school department. Ward 1 Councilor Bethel Shields and Councilor-at-Large M. Kelly Matzen were named to the committee.

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