Court Opinion

ID: 9529915
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:55:27.700764+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:27:57.082697
License: Public Domain

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE ALLOY, dissenting: I cannot agree with my colleagues that this cause should be remanded on the ground of insufficient basic findings by the Illinois Commerce Commission in reaching its decision. The order makes clear that the Commission made basic findings of fact sufficiently specific to enable the court to review intelligently that decision and also to ascertain whether the facts found therein afford a reasonable basis for the order entered. Camelot had argued that the order should be remanded with directions to the Commission to determine operating revenues and operating income which would be derived from the allowed rates and also to make a determination as to a fair rate of return. Camelot’s operating expenses and operating income and operating revenue are clearly defined by the Commission in the order and even by Camelot’s own calculations in the brief the additional revenues generated by the rates were easily determined to be *876. Clearly all of the necessary factors and findings for the Commission order are specifically shown on the record. There is no dispute as to the principles which should be applied in reviewing an order of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Some of these principles are recited in the majority opinion filed herein. It is clear also from the record that the Commission made proper and sufficient findings of fact and allowed rates which provide fair and reasonable returns to the investor. While Camelot questions the adequacy of the allowed rates and implies that they are confiscatory because the company could invest a sum of money equivalent to the value elsewhere and receive a rate of return in excess of the return from the rates authorized by the Commission. This argument was clearly shown to be without merit in Illinois Bell Telephone Co. v. Illinois Commerce Com. (1953), 414 Ill. 275. In that case the Illinois Supreme Court noted that when investment is made in business dedicated to public service it must be recognized that, as compared with investment in private business, the investor cannot expect high or speculative dividends, but that his obligation limits him to only fair and reasonable returns. It is noted in the majority opinion that an order of the Illinois Commerce Commission could not be set aside unless it is arbitrary, unreasonable, against the manifest weight of the evidence or directly contrary to an established rule of law. On the basis of the record in this cause, the court of review should clearly affirm the determination of the Illinois Commerce Commission. (State Public Utilities Com. ex rel. City of Springfield v. Springfield Gas & Electric Co. (1919), 291 Ill. 209.) Orders of the Commission are to be considered prima facie reasonable and the burden of proof on all issues raised by appeal is on the appellant. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1975, ch. 111 2/3, par. 72; Missouri Pacific Ry. Co. v. Illinois Commerce Com., 401 Ill. 241, 248 (1948).) In view of the fact that on the record the Commission made requisite findings of fact and the findings and order are supported by substantial evidence in the record, a conclusion that the Commission’s findings were manifestly against the weight of the evidence or contrary to established legal principles could not be sustained. Accordingly I believe that the order of the Illinois Commerce Commission should be affirmed.