The Washington times., 1925-04-11
Great Importance of Accurate
Valuations of Public Utilities

the properties of local public utilities the fixing OF values
that true initiation and yet the grave
fact stares this city in the face that pubic uIes
CORPORATIONS virtually their valuations and collect
returns upon them from the public.
The District Commissioners Public Utilities Commission
the new citizens advisory council every civic organization
and every amnded individual should give support to an
easy plan for the correction this unfair situation The a
vory council will be elected has an opportunity 70
show its public usefulness by insisting that the worth Wne
interests public public utilities questions be protected
to the limit.
In the Chesapeake Potomac valuations that have been
under consideration by Public Utilities Commission that
corporation admittedly spent close to $zUUUO IN 1
preparing its has unsnedy used the money paid IN
by the people of Washington that nothing was LETT un
done to portray property interests here the most val
liable light against this free expenditure to make good
showing the Public Utilities Commission has been able to
spend BARE FEW THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. Its made
nuate personnel and experts has not been able
20 even scratch surface in its Investigations to determine
Che of the telephone corporations claims
is lamentabe that the total appropriation for the
Antre staff the Utilities Commission in the next
fiscal wear land it about the the present fiscal
ar) is $4,000 This takes in the secretary clerical help
kas inspectors experts and everybody OF this
total there paid four accountants about $1,000 year
The burden of investigating corporation claims of value
and of capital expenditures falls these four accountants
THAT is they keep track Of expenditures by public
utility
Here Won have case of the PUBLIC of Washington getting
$1,000 worth of information each year to what
Hust one utility spends cool 100000 in less than year
10 show that has high valuation upon which the people
Of Washington must yearly pay stiff returns
testimony of highly paid experts OF the telephone COM
anv as to valuation claims stands undputed in most In
stances on the records Public Utilities Commission
simply because commission did not have experts to take
issue and had not been able with their other
work. to do than go into a few principal items
The naked truth is that the Public Utilities Commission
handicapped as it by lack funds and employees to look
after interests of the public in position to make
valuations that stand by accurate Ii compelled
accept the testimony of the telephone company
witnesses.
The worst of it is that this situation will not be remeded in
the future unless powerful public sentiment compels Congress
to give the Public Utilities Commission apprCpa'1Cns 5;
tct Commissioners should demand, and this demand should
be backed by all the people Of Washington:
l. That ample appropriations should be made for the
Utilities Commission should include contingent
fund that be used to pay additional experts
needed.
o That a peoples counsel should be provided by Con-
gress who will be paid sufficient yearly salary as
counsel Utilities Commission to give all his time to
g. That there be created Public Utilities Commission
its membership from the Board Of Commission
It cannot escape febles mind that the people Of Wash
ngton must pay returns each year to local utilities upon
These valuations increase from year to year
through capital expenditures The commission SIMPLY ADDS
these capital expenditures the valuations already esa
Hshed
Monthly or annually local utilities report to the commission
certain capital expenditures They have spent the
they desired paid to suit themselves With the small
force the commission absolutely unable to
UP detail these expenditures determine whether
they excessive improper Therefore, the public utilities
of the today and have been for years
MAKING THEIR OWN VALUATIONS.
just right from standpoint and it behooves
municipal heads to that the deporab situation shall
not continue They make the question issue with Con
gre and by pointing out the real facts get the required
money.
It will be better for the Utilities Commission to refuse
to attempt make further valuations to
them than go under present conditions The utilities
corporations sranghod advantage Of the commission
and of the public that should be manifest to anybody and
everybody AS ascrtainng facts and figures bearing
valuations the people Of this city must and do
upon the commission has chance than SNOWFALL
would have a That that the people
Washington the position the commission
Working under great disadvantages the Utilities Commits
sion did well Of the telephone properties
cutting the claims of the company by close to 100000
With adequate working force into everything the Com