The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-07-13
ACood Suggestion

A Good Suggestion
an contributed The Voice and published in the
July people Must Help Themseves) suggestion
petitions be circulated for law making manda
tory upon Public Service Commission to order reduction
service charged by the Montana Power Company
proportion the findings of lower valuations of its
Federal Power Commission than the valuations used
by the company rate base This is suggestion meriting
earnest consideration and the people conscious OF their
best interests concrete action will follow.
The contributor contends, and believe rghtfuly SO,
that no action for the benefit of the people can be expected
from the Public the state unless action
by people of the state themselves The history
If the Pubc Service Commissions attitude in connection with
question charged by the Montana Power Company
appears to substantate this view very clearly
every of the Montana legislature for the past
except the last bills have been introduced
qug the Montana Power Company be taxed on the same
valuation the valuation which based its rates. the val
which based its rates being nearly double the val
which taxed In session the political
influence of the strong enough to defeat the at
tempt of fair taxation of its properties.
AS matter of fact the values which the company was
much of line The rate base valuations
the $51978025 of watered stock which the Federal
Power Commission has ordered the power company to write
Valuations this representing real costs or
values arbitrary wreups valuations having been made and
stock voted to offset them and issued to the roppe
barons
If the Montana Public Commission had considered
of the Montana public there be question
that would have supported the findings the Federal Power
Commission Instead of doing however, the Montana COM
mission fit to give the break amounting to
$32 976 it's findings this amounting to nothing in the
world gift the basis of the testimony at the hearings
year showed concusvey that the amount which the
Commission ordered the to write off,
represented costs of plant represented nothing but imam
cia ugglery
Whether or not the findings" the Montana commits
written by attorneys the simple fact that
they constitute nothing sop the public intended
consideration shown to it. The fact
company it's appeal for rehearng used the
entire Montana commissions Opinion and Report
Dated 1944 in its petition for rehearng by
Commission which denied on April II
this would to indicate that the power company had
approved this opinion and order in advance OTHERWISE 1t
does probable that they would so Whoeheared
endorse the findings.
edstOcL
basis been going for twenty-five years
would to be about time for the public to be
besrng itself The record of the Railroad and Public Serv
Montana not to which the public
with pride created by it to function in
its interests The law under which operates 49, perhaps
broad for the type OF which usually elect to serve on IT.
gives them too much eeway.
For many years. members of the commission have
been ready to acknowledge that the rate base valuations
high But the commission always had the ready
did not have available funds with which to under
take cost of the compan plants inns mas been true
always been recognized by liberal and independent
ber of the legislature that would be frue to ask for an
appropriation for this because OF the influence OF the
company the majority of the membership
Now exhaustive unprecedented and thorough in
vesgaon financial structure of the has been
by Federal Power Commission and this agency has
making inflated in the amount
of $51978025 the Montana COMMISSION evdety inspired oy
superior through the efforts of the Montana Power
Company says this figure should be $19,OO1,59884
time for the public to act? We cannot be optim-
enough think that the Montana Public Service Commits
will act against the to compel rate re-
duon on the reduced by the amount which
its own opinion would indicate. We cannot hope
legislative assembly the future before the
of the monopoly broken will be able to
compelling definite action in the pubcs interests by the
public commission the of ordering reduction of
rates charged. .
Action by the pubicdrect action-s the clear remedy
Initiative petitions necessary laws compelling action by the
public service commission must be circulated Labor and farm
organizations do this job and predict it will not be
too difficult nor too expensive. =
will cost the public only small cent of the amount
being overcharged annually by the Montana Power Co.
this The public paid $16223,289 for electric
lights and in this state 1914 Under rates charged
by Valley Authority the public would have paid
only S11,059,019
think it's worth while for the Montana public
to save IS it's light and power bills in year?
Are We Informed? s