Brittany Borghi reports after kicking it around in some form or another for the last six years, the state Legislature may finally adopt a bill to change the way franchise fees work. Some said it could be bad news for Idaho cities, and could cost Pocatello nearly $80,000.

Currently, Idaho cities can collect a 5 percent franchise fee on the general revenues of cable companies. House Bill 410 would basically make that a state responsibility, not a local one. The bill is primarily being pushed by CenturyLink, that said it won’t bring its newest brand of television service to Idaho without getting rid of that fee, said Pocatello Chief Financial Officer David Swindell.

The bill would also eliminate the city’s current contracts with cable companies, where the $80,000 loss would come from, he said.