I would like to applaud the leadership shown by U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud in co-sponsoring the Local Radio Freedom Act. This resolution acknowledges the important role local radio serves in not only promoting new music and artists, but also in promoting the community as a whole.

The performance fee to radio and other businesses proposed by Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., would help destroy the good work of local radio stations by burdening them with immense extra fees, to be mostly paid to foreign-owned record companies (yes, three out of the four major record labels garnering 80 percent of USA record/CD sales are foreign-owned!).

Michaud's leadership will help protect such from happening.

Bob Bittner

Owner -- WJTO Radio 730

The Memories Station (Bath)

Member of the Free Radio Alliance