Opinion ID: 1202753
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Point 10. Accrual of Penalties During Appeal

Text: The Commission's staff conducted a preliminary investigation of the VECO plan and issued a report on September 19, 1984. [24] The staff recommended to the Commission that, among other things, the three VECO companies be subjected to civil penalties for failing to file several reports, namely the 1983 year end disclosure statement, the thirty day pre-primary campaign disclosure statement, the seven day pre-primary campaign disclosure statement and the ten day post-primary campaign disclosure statement. The staff recommended that VECO also be subject to civil penalties for other reports that would come due prior to the Commission's final decision. As of September 17, 1984, the staff calculated fines totalling $13,170. The Commission, on October 12th, approved the staff's recommendations with respect to the civil penalties. Under the Commission's regulations, the assessment of civil penalties was subject to what the regulations call an appeal under 2 AAC 50.390(e) (eff. 6/29/84). On November 9, 1984, VECO filed a document, entitled Motion for Reconsideration and Motion to Abate Penalties, a section of which was an appeal under regulation .390(e). Subsequently, VECO requested and was given an evidentiary hearing following which the decision of the Commission of February 16, 1985 was issued. Although the decision does not expressly refer to the motion for reconsideration and motion to abate penalties of November 9, 1984, that was the pleading to which the Commission's decision was responding. After receiving the decision of the Commission of February 1985, VECO promptly appealed to the superior court which granted a stay of the accrual of daily civil penalties retroactive to February 14, 1985. The fine originally calculated by the Commission staff was $4,390 per group, totaling $13,170, as of September 17, 1984. Because of daily accruals of the penalties and because four additional reports had become due, the penalty increased to $72,660 by February 14, 1985. [25]