Vessella v. Lawrence Cablevision, Inc.

4 Pa. D. & C.3d 191, 1977 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 179
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lawrence County
DecidedDecember 16, 1977
Docketno. 25 of 1976
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 4 Pa. D. & C.3d 191 (Vessella v. Lawrence Cablevision, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lawrence County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vessella v. Lawrence Cablevision, Inc., 4 Pa. D. & C.3d 191, 1977 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 179 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1977).

Opinion

PER CURIAM,

Before this court is defendant’s preliminary objection in the nature of a demurrer to plaintiff’s complaint in equity.

[193]*193FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff filed this complaint in equity to restrain defendant from terminating cable television service to their motel, the Holiday Inn of New Castle. The complaint alleges that defendant arbitrarily imposed a 300 percent rate increase and that the increase is in violation of section 78.31, subsection 31(a)(4) of the Federal Communications Commission (F. C. C.) regulations as well as a breach of the agreement between the parties for cable television service. Plaintiff also asks this court to declare Ordinance No. 2-1965 of Union Township unconstitutional because that ordinance grants a license to defendant to operate a cable television franchise without providing for due process notice in regard to any rate increases.

Defendant filed a preliminary objection in the nature of a demurrer pursuant to Pa. R.C.P. 1017(b)(4). This objection contends that plaintiff ’s complaint fails to state a cause of action because neither the agreement between the parties nor the F. C. C. regulation prohibits the rate increase. Also, defendant contends that Union Township cannot force Lawrence Cablevision to hold public hearings because, being a second class township, Union Township does not have the power to regulate cable television franchises.

DISCUSSION

According to time-honored principles, a demurrer by defendant admits all relevant facts pleaded in the complaint and all inferences fairly deducible therefrom. In ruling on a demurrer, two concepts are to be kept in mind: (1) the question to be decided is not whether the statement of plaintiff’s [194]*194claim is so clear in both form and specification as to entitle plaintiff to proceed to trial without amending it but rather whether upon the facts averred it shows with certainty that the law will not permit a recovery by plaintiff, and (2) where a doubt exists as to whether or not summary judgment should be entered, this should be resolved in favor of refusing to enter it: Sun Ray Drug Co. v. Lawler, 366 Pa. 571, 79 A.2d 262 (1951).

Turning now to the specifics of defendant’s demurrer, Lawrence Cablevision contends that its rate increase is not illegal because Union Township, being a second class township, has no power to order public hearings or franchise cable television.

Since no statute specifically authorizes second class townships to franchise and regulate cable television, we must look to the general rule governing the authority of municipal governments. The general rule regarding the powers of municipalities in the Commonwealth is that they “possess only such powers as have been granted to them by the legislature, either in express terms or which arise by necessary and fair implication or are incident to powers expressly granted or are essential to the declared objects and purposes of the townships.” Commonwealth v. Ashenfelder, 413 Pa. 517, 198 A.2d 514 (1964).

Defendant contends that there is no authority in The Second Class Township Code of May 1, 1933, P. L. 103, as amended, 53 P. S. §65101 et seq., that allows Union Township to enact any ordinance regulating Lawrence Cablevision. Therefore, since second class townships possess only that authority given to them by the legislature, and the legislature has not given second class town[195]*195ships the power to franchise or regulate cable television systems, Union Township cannot force defendant to hold public hearings before implementing rate increases.

On the other hand, plaintiff argues that although there is no express regulatory authority in The Second Class Township Code, the authority to regulate Lawrence Cablevision can be implied as necessarily incident to the townships’ power over their highways and,roads. To support this position, plaintiff cites the decision of Commonwealth Court in Borough of Scottdale v. National Cable Television Corp., 28 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 387, 368 A.2d 1323 (1977). In that case, the court ruled that a borough has the power to regulate cable television companies. The court pointed to the specific power granted by the legislature to the borough to enact street and sewer regulations: The Borough Code of February 1, 1966, P. L. (1965) 1656, as amended, 53 P. S. §46202(17). They also noted that the Supreme Court has held that “[t]he streets and alleys of cities, towns and boroughs are under the control and direction of these municipalities and they hold all the power over them that can lawfully exist.” Wood v. McGrath, 150 Pa. 451, 456, 24 Atl. 682, 683 (1892). Plaintiff would have this court extend this decision and rule that second class townships can also regulate cable television.

Plaintiff’s position has been expressly rejected by the court in Lower Nazareth Township v. Service Electric Cable T.V., Inc., 43 Northamp. 112 (1977). There, the court distinguished the Commonwealth Court’s ruling in Borough of Scottdale v. National Cable Television Corp.

“. . . The Third Class City Code specifically provides for the grant of franchises. 53 P. S. §36057. [196]*196The Borough Code specifically provides for the regulations of streets. 53 P. S. §46202(17). There is no similar franchise or regulatory provision contained in the Second Class Township Code.

“The Second Class Township Code does provide for some regulation of the roads, 53 P. S. §66156, but at the same time clearly indicates that a second class township is without the power it attempts to exercise by Ordinance No. 39.

“Second class townships are limited to two types of regulations. They may issue permits regulating installation on public roads and require certain fees. . . .

“Furthermore, the last sentence of 53 P. S. §66156 clearly indicates the limited power of second class townships over the regulation of permits using their roads. ‘Further, nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or empower a township to regulate or control the operations of any permittee, except as provided for in this section.’ This sentence obviously was inserted to indicate that §66156 povides all the regulatory authority second class townships possess ...” (Emphasis in original.)

This court concludes that the caveat in the last sentence of 53 P. S. §66156 clearly indicates that Union Township has no power to force Lawrence Cablevision to hold public hearings and afford due process before any rate increase can be implemented. Any such ordinance enacted by Union Township would go beyond the permissible regulation of the installation and maintenance of cable television over township roads and into the forbidden area of regulating or controlling the operation of the television system.

The conclusion that Union Township cannot regulate Lawrence Cablevision’s rates is not dis-[197]*197positive of defendant’s demurrer. Plaintiff also argues that even though Union Township cannot regulate cable television by its own power, the F. C. C. regulations require approval by the local government of all cable television rates.

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Related

Board of Supervisors v. Bucks County Cablevision
492 A.2d 461 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1985)

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Bluebook (online)
4 Pa. D. & C.3d 191, 1977 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 179, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vessella-v-lawrence-cablevision-inc-pactcompllawren-1977.