(Editors note: This letter was sent to the Great Neck North Shore Cable Commission, Ms. Alice Fishman, Chairwoman and to Mr. Peter Puttré, Munsey Park Village Trustee and to the Manhasset Press for publication.)

Verizon has now announced that FIOS TV service will be offered starting January on Long Island. The state Public Service Commission announced it has approved an application from Verizon and Massapequa Park. Massapequa Park which approved the application in September will be the first community in New York to have the service.

The Newsday article announcing the service can be viewed online at www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-

At this time there can be no doubt about Verizon's intentions or ability to provide the service to our community. The service is here and available in our area. The only obstacle is an agreement with the commission. I know that according to law, the franchisers must provide a 'level playing field' for all cable TV providers. Since Cablevision is currently under a month to month contract it is entirely up to the commission to determine what that playing field should be. I'm hoping that playing field is based on the community's best interest and decided upon quickly.

As you have seen from the overwhelming response to my initial letter to the Manhasset Press, there is a substantial desire in the community for choice in cable TV providers. I'm sure you have also seen the numerous articles in the press from publications such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times that have described various outrageous and sometimes bizarre requests from municipalities in order to get a permit application granted. In effect those towns have done a disservice to their constituency by holding Verizon hostage to unreasonable demands. It should be no secret that the pork that gets put into these franchise agreements is ultimately paid for by the cable consumer anyway in the form of higher cable bills. My suggestion would be to negotiate minimally needed public access requirements and then offer a direct tax reduction or rebate from the revenue residuals generated by the franchise agreements to each homeowner in each village represented to offset the astronomical property tax increases we have all seen over these past few years.

I trust the commission knows that the people you represent deserve good faith negotiations with Verizon that will result in timely benefits for all rather than the few. The communities represented by the commission want choice in determining their cable provider and they want it now. The commission has a rare opportunity to provide meaningful change to the cable landscape in our community. I urge you to take the lead and provide Manhasset and the communities you represent with an alternative to Cablevision now.

Dino Moshova