12 Mich. Cities Sued Over Franchise Fees

A lawyer has filed lawsuits against one-dozen Michigan cities, saying that they have been charging illegal fees to 700,000 cable-television customers, AP reported.

The suits, filed Tuesday, claimed that monthly franchise fees tacked onto each cable bill amount to an unauthorized tax in violation of the state's Headlee Amendment.

The lawsuits were filed on behalf of a handful of residents in each city, but lawyer Jason Thompson said he will seek class-action status for all subscribers in the areas.

The 12 cities are Warren, St. Clair Shores, Troy, Royal Oak, Canton, Plymouth, Midland, Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Livonia and Westland.