Opinion ID: 2153883
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: lansing

Text: April 21, 1959 Lawrence Gubow Commissioner Fischer, Sprague, Franklin & Ford Attorneys at Law 1100 Dime Building Detroit 26, Michigan Attn: Mr. Gerald C. Simon Re: The Detroit Edison Company Gentlemen: This will acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 1, 1959, in which you request the return of $119,129.25, together with interest at the rate of 5% per annum from the date of our receipt of payment to the time of returning said moneys. You also request, in behalf of the Detroit Edison Company, a certificate of good standing without exception, dated the day following the return of the above moneys. Please be advised that we have taken the subject matter of your letter under advisement and conclude that both of the requests you make in such letter cannot be granted. It is not the policy of this office to issue the certificate of good standing in the form you have requested until there has been a formal acceptance of all prior annual reports to this commission, which includes a final determination of all fees due with these reports. It is recognized that this general rule of the commission has been modified by the proceedings you have commenced in the court of claims involving the proper determination of your 1958 franchise privilege fees, and by said court order in that matter dated March 27, 1959. Under this order, it is the position of this commission that you are entitled to a certificate of good standing so long as there has been no redetermination made by the commission and so long as the court matter is held in abeyance. This means that the issuance of the certificate of good standing without exception is conditioned upon your not taking any further proceedings in the court of claims, including not filing any motion for rehearing, and upon your not taking any further steps in regard to the redetermination of your 1958 franchise privilege fee before the corporation and securities commission, including demanding the refund of the amounts referred to in my letter of February 4, 1959. If you had not requested the refund of the amount of money paid in regard to your 1958 franchise privilege fee, and if you had not requested a rehearing in the court of claims matter, this commission would issue a certificate of good standing without exception pursuant to the court of claims order of March 27, 1959. For the reasons stated above, however, it is not possible for this commission to grant the requests as made in your letter of March 27, 1959. We realize that in accordance with our letter of February 4, 1959, you are entitled to a refund of the $119,129.25 requested and that pursuant to the aforesaid court of claims order dated March 27, 1959, you are entitled to a certificate of good standing so long as all proceedings in regard to your 1958 franchise privilege fee are held in abeyance. However, we also realize that you are not entitled to both. Please find enclosed your check for $3.00 for the issuance of a certificate of good standing. Very truly yours, /s/ LAWRENCE GUBOW Lawrence Gubow Commissioner LG: pl Enc. cc: Mr. A.G. Maihofer, Secretary The Detroit Edison Company W.D. Dexter Annual Reports Division