The people's voice., 1948-12-17
Attention Legislators


Among several boards the Railroad and Public
Service Commission properly manned and financed should
of top Importance every citizen the
law this board the sole regulatory authority ntrasate
affairs of all public utilities whether railroads and bus lines
electrical energy, or telephone service.
because of the lack of attention paid this
by each legislative assembly, been able
execute its responsibilities the people to the full extent of
the authority vested in by law Legislative appropriations
seldom been other than niggardy and thus the
has been unable employ adequate number of in
vesgator properly overall
utility before giving its approval
requests for rate changes Prosed for this legislative
government economically possible -
But is the real for nactivatng this i'm
porant commission? Os legislative stngness predicated
something ele To the point AS the public service
commission is without adequate financing isn't in acuaity
also without adequate regulatory authority?
works this way Since the commission is financially
able its ability to determine utility valuations is extremely
limited When any one of the several utilities apply for ap
proval change the almost wholly
pendent the bookkeeping of the utility in question for
facts and figures in making its decision The result
dissimilar greenhorn" who rolls with
professional with the latter the dice The green
usually goes barrel utility
valuations for ratexng purposes it's John O. Public who
loses his shirt
For example it will be recalled that four years ago the
Federal Power Commission determined that rateng (not
axng) the Montana Power Company had approx
matey $50 million in watered The public services
after less thorough investigation and following
the FPC action did order the to wiring OUT about
SIT million in its raexng valuation Given an adequate ap
preparation do the nvestigaory job plus public
the commission could force Montana Power to finish
its drying OUT process the S33 million balance cous
valuation It becomes matter of very simple calculation
figure how much electricity charges could be saved Montana
citizens when considers that dred out Montana Power
Company would have actual valuation of approximately
$40 millions thus becomes apparent why the gentlemen in
the hird house always raise the of ECONOMY
every time proposals made for adequate appropriations
the commission.
Public Hearings Should Be Mandatory
While considering the public commission | think
the 1949 legislature should existing statutes
mandatory the holding of public hearings before
changes approved or declined for utility.
Eloquent testimony of this revision revealed
the recent public hearing called at the of
number of Hamilton residents who protested previously ap
500 bump residential electricity all quanti
ties XVIII per month Without fanfare, public
notice. the commission had August 8 approved Montana
Powers request for the higher rate structure.
While the thought of this editorial concerned primar
lily with whether not the increase granted last August
justified do claim that the people of Hamilton parc
Montana general should have had notice that the
commission considering Montana Powers application for
such decision they too should have had their day court
seeking approval for the 5O of the opinion
that had the former also been heard before the
granted the commission would with considerable
hestancy Not only would they have considered Montana
Powers plea that the higher because of
greatly increased operatona costs ahough the rate boost
effect only 481 residential 1000 XVIII
month"; but also, the commission would have
what effect the 500 would those
citizens heating their homes with electricity Testimony
protest hearing showed the average per
heating the winter months be of $50 month
previous XVIII. Under the schedule
add 500