For Immediate Release

Ossining Town Supervisor Allocates $20,000 in 2005 Budget for GO-TV Funding

Ossining Mayor Perillo Publicly Vows to

Match Percentage of Town’s Distribution

Ossining, NY (July 2004) Ossining Town Supervisor John Chervokas has allocated $20,000, or one-third of the Cablevision Franchise Fees for Greater Ossining Television (GO-TV) in his 2005 budget. After two years of lobbying the Town and Village, Mr. Chervokas has included the monies in his budget, which now must be approved by the Town Board.

Franchise Fees are paid to Cablevision by its customers, then passed on to local municipalities. Every other Westchester municipality except Ossining distributes these fees -- either fully or partially --- to their local public access TV stations.

Ossining Village Mayor John Perillo has stated publicly that he would match the Town’s percentage of the Franchise Fees for the Village budget. The Village currently receives $200,000 in Franchise Fees, of which one-third would amount to roughly $66,000. Together, this would give GO-TV an operating budget of $86,000 for 2005, allowing it to meet all of its expenses and close a $30,000 budget deficit.

“We are pleased that the Town of Ossining has stepped up to the plate to help this struggling public access station stay alive,” said GO-TV Treasurer Ann LeClair. “We are confident that the Town Board will approve the Supervisor’s budget, and are equally confident that Mayor Perillo will follow through on his promise to match the Town’s percentage of funding.”

GO-TV broadcasts public access on Channel 18, and government access on Channel 78. Now in its 9^th year of operation, GO-TV serves the Village and Town of Ossining, Briarcliff Manor, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, and parts of Chappaqua, Pleasantville, Valhalla and Mount Pleasant. GO-TV televises a growing number of community activities and provides a variety of original programs, in addition to broadcasting regular and special meetings of the Ossining Town and Village Boards. The public studio hours are Tuesdays through Fridays, from 6:00 p. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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