DN Editorial: Philly, today's the day to give Comcast a piece of your mind

Correction: The original version referred to Comcast's effective corporate tax rate as 4 percent; that was the effective rate of state taxes covering the period from 2008-2012. According to Comcast, their 2014 combined federal and state income tax was over 38 percent and forcecasts the 2015 rate to be approximately the same.

WE CAN IMAGINE what goes on in City Council today as a scene in one of those original Internet television series - citizens unleashing their frustration at the behemoth company, which, in pure meta brilliance, is in fact the cable/Internet and television company who is actually making the series.

The dramatis personae: the public, offering comment on the renewal of Comcast's 15-year franchise agreement with the city, some of whom may be bringing their Comcast bills along. Council members, who will be trying to finalize the agreement. And, of course, Comcast itself, the homegrown monolith that controls - locally, and to a great degree nationally - essentials of modern life: cable television and Internet access. It manages that control so cannily that it booked $8 billion in profits in the fiscal year ending in June.

And that's double what it was for 2011.

Are Philadelphians bursting with pride at this local success story? Well . . . it's complicated.

Comcast is indeed a global force and a Philadelphia asset. But on the ground, broadband access in this city is one of the lowest among 25 cities analyzed. That's amid a host of problems - deep poverty, an education funding crisis - that corporate citizens could bear some responsibility for fixing. (For Comcast, to avoid the irony that was once "the cobbler's children have no shoes," now "Comcast's city is the poster child for the digital divide.")

How much responsibility exactly is what's being debated in the agreement and during today's hearings.

Comcast says it's doing its part already: It pays $130 million in taxes and fees, and employs 8,000 in the city. Its "Internet Essentials" program provides discounted computers and broadband to low-income families. It also funds things like public, educational and government-access television.

But many say this isn't enough. The city wants to expand Internet Essentials to seniors and disabled. Other things on the table: discounted cable service for seniors, Wi-Fi in some city buildings, and a local call center with 200 employees to deal with customer service.

Comcast's effective corporate state tax rate was 4 percent, and the company received a $42 million tax break for its Center City headquarters. Many say that the money should be given back to fund the schools, or that Comcast should do more to fund education.

Should Comcast help fund Philadelphia's schools? It's not so simple. We think all corporations should participate more fully in educating the future workforce, but corporate funding for public education is a minefield, one currently driven by suspicion and fear.

In the end, though, this is not just about a 15-year agreement with one company. It's also a discussion about corporate responsibility, a conversation that has taken on new dimensions in the past few years as income inequality and poverty have grown, and corporate profits and influence have reached often-troubling proportions.

Comcast could play an important role in this debate. So can you - either by testifying (there's a good chance of getting on the list if you show up) or as an audience member. Hearings begin at 1 p.m., and if past experience is any guide, will go well-beyond 5 p.m.