A controversial ordinance that passed Tuesday will net the city of Colorado Springs millions of dollars from cable providers in town, increasing costs to individual cable television subscribers. Almost every government entity in Colorado charges 5 percent, the new rate.

Although the council passed the ordinance 7-2, there was controversy.

Councilmen Don Knight and Andy Pico opposed the measure for different reasons. Knight was against it because of Comcast’s inability to serve the Cedar Heights area, and Pico questioned increasing the fee Comcast pays just because other cities charge more. Several on the council expressed concerns about the ordinance but voted for it anyway.

Comcast’s service has been the subject of customer complaints for many years, so public opposition comes as no surprise. We are hearing from residents who oppose the ordinance and feel it is a way to increase the city’s coffers without the voters’ permission, although voters do not get to vote on business fees.

Read more at The Colorado Springs Gazette.