[quote=no_such_reality]I see the internet lost my edit.

Basically, I appended a paragraph saying an HOA is a form of government. Like all forms of government, once they start providing a service, discontinuing the service is near impossible due to the number of people viewing their loss of ‘free’ service.

Trying to micromanage the budget and cable inclusion is a losing proposition. By having pre-included cable, the oondo association largely limits the number of requests and complaints they get for satellite dishes.

I’ve also seen it go the complete other way the OP intends, once the bored people realize they can propose their ‘feel’ good ideas and then use HOA money to inact. Things like community beautification and value enhancement. Which means, making the common areas look nice. Which really means, the hobbyist gardeners running the subcommittee start spending $12,000+ a year ‘updating’ and ‘replanting’ flowers in the flower beds every month.[/quote]

You’ve described my HOA very well with regards to the landscape committee. They spend a lot of money on plants each year and every month or so the flowers in certain areas seem to change. I don’t think many people are aware of this. Out of curiosity, I emailed a former Board member of a nearby condo complex regarding cable TV service and he wrote “We got rid of the HOA being in the cable TV business four years ago, and other bluff HOA’s have followed suit. It was our single largest expense on the property, and who are we do choose or force owners to use cable TV? We thought there might be an on-rush of satellite dishes, but there wasn’t even one (which you must allow, but your rules can say they cannot be attached to or placed on any common area – so they can sit on a private balcony or in a window). But people should be free to choose no TV, cable TV, DSL/phone line TV, satellite TV, or they can watch TV via the Internet.” This succinctly describes my feelings on cable TV.

I wrote a long college essay type letter to the Board regarding cable TV and time limits and I think it caught them off guard, since they are probably not used to people making constructive well thought out proposals and criticisms. The majority of people just are aloof and uninterested.