Nigel Jaquiss
Portland, Oregon, Wants to Change the Way It Charges Fees to Telecom, Electric and Gas Utilities
One of the city of Portland (OR)’s smallest bureaus is beefing with some of the nation’s largest companies. It’s a fight that might sound abstract but could touch the wallet of every household in town. At issue are the franchise and utility fees that the Portland Office for Community Technology levies on corporate behemoths—AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, PacifiCorp, Portland General Electric, NW Natural, and many others—for access to the city’s right of way.