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Show rsr hard look at easy rates A Vsirtt N PGWtfrfl wJ Senate Bills received 17 the and v.' tor 43 have kind of flaw delecting in the Senate which searching, s,ci3y legislation of this portent dujsijc-s- . also get a m the thotStagh going-ovei m the event they pass te which, at this w NlPlg, had not finally acted g uiwj4hem although action indicates they a Hfrobably be approved. The two measures take a stride into a relatively untried tealm of utility regashould r tbf-Jcna- second-rea'dtfc- in! ton SB17 would permit public utilities to immediately rates without a formal Public Service Commission hearing The other measure, SB43, would allow pass through of fixed cots during a four-yea- r period following a PSC hearing Almost everyone concerned w ith the debate m the Senate has agreed that utilities must remain fiscally viable in order to render their indispensable service to the public. The question is, how far should traditional regulatory standards be relaxed in order to give them the necessary elbow room to react to in-fl- mary factors Judging from testimony and amendments approved both in committee and on the floor of the Senate, the original bills went much too far Since coming to tne Senate floor, they have been hedged in somewhat by restrictions, and testimony Monday by PSC Chairman Frank Warner indicated that further amendments might be in order Wamers testimony, incidentally, was very revealing it had been represented that the PSC had given approval to the bills which, generally, was probably true However, Warner expressed serious reservations about SB17, indicating a possible need for alteration of the bill to remedy what a bad flaw He said the bill, as he understands it, would not only require the PSC to permit automatic rate increases on the part of the major utilities such as electrical and gas, but also on the part ol the remainder of the 360 companies the PSC super- - the small society -- r j- - by Brickman AKP ALL I'M IS A 90- I m . mvt - otFiZ& P . THIS X Letters from our readers vises. Several of these are transportation companies. (A substitute SB17 was subsequently introduced.) As a matter of fact, Warner said that, in view of the experimental provisions in SB 43, the other measure might not be needed at all. The PSC chairman also somewhat discounted the claim of the bills supporters that rate cases are almost invariably protracted. He' cited a recent case involving an application for a passthrough of costs in which hearings were completed m less than a month. It was mute a complicated passthrough, Warner said. SB17 was amended early in the debate to provide that an applicant for an 'automatic rate increase could immediately put into effect only 70 percent of the amount. Earner said this provision is virtually meaningless, because all a utility would have to do is hie for 130 percent of what it needed in order to get the full 100 percent. One factor which remained uncertain during various testimony is the number of other states which have adopted legislation similar to that represented m the two Senate bills. Cots AM WENT- - 6j$. It was stated at one point that nine other states have similar laws, but Sen. Warren E. Pugh, Lake, one of the bills sponsors, read from a Federal Poer Commission report that from 37 to 40 states have some h form of legislation affecting one or emore types of utilities. Warner said this depends upon how the laws are interpreted. Utahs regulatory laws, for instance, could be interpreted as permitting through rate increases, he said. As a matter of fact, the PSC has allowed costs to be passed through in limited cases, such as where the wholesale price of natural gas has gone up. As w as stated in the Senate. Utahs major utilities are and efficient and have served the people well. They have managed to keep pace with population growth and kept rates lower than the national average. However, legislation as as that contained in SB17 and SB43 deserves careful consideration lt 9iv . Inc f?icKMA- - pass-throug- well-manag- g DESERET 'Ratify ERA as tradition' To the editor When the Utah Legislature ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment, the proposed 27th Amendment to the U S Constitution, its members will be following a rich Utan tradition of leadership in human rights Was it not Utah which granted its women the right to vote in 1869, before any other state m the Union Was it not Emmeline B. Wells. Susa Young Gates, and Aurelia S Rogers, courageous blah women, who earned the banner for universal suf frage Was it not Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon one of our great Mormon M.Tenv who was the first woman elected a state senator? Obviously the majority of I tabs population has been reading their Utah history They concur that ERA is consistent with Utahs past According to the Deseret Nows poll (.Nov 15) 65 2 percent of Utahns favor the Amendment: 63 1 percent of the LDS community favors Eioise McQuown 250 Elizabeth St. Having examined proposed legislation for the 1973 legislature relative to enactment of the proposed, "Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Act," the Vernal Rod and Gun Club, representing some 270 sportsmen in the Uintah Basm, does not feel it can support an act of this character which gives broad general authority to an agency which, in our opinion, has been to many of our wildlife issues M e are in sympathy with the agricultural interests and their needs for protection of their livelihood. We are knowledgeable of existing laws that protect their interest and although minimal they do receive assistance and some compensation for losses to their ots liveLhuou, acts of Go are overt acts which appear detrimental to the best interest of the states wildlife resources and the people of the State of Utah. We share in many situations common interest as we believe most people m the agncuituial profession are also sportsmen w'ho hunt and fish or enjoy some aspect of the states wildlife resources. However, with the compounded problems the state is now facing we cannot support enactment of this proposed act which is m direct conflict with authority already vested with the Division of Wildlife Resources The provisions of the proposed act are of We of view the many in our state who are not even employed, and who are not able to provide even the necessities for their families, this seems to me a very untimely course to take, if not downright immoral. Alberta L, OBrien . of to members of the Vernal Rod Gun Club and should be to all sportsmen of the state. The proposed act in its initial statement, m Section 2 and again in Section 8, prov ides authority to the proposed board and the commissioner of agriculture which by statutory law is legally vested with the states Division of Wildlife Resources. 4 The composition of the proposed 13 member board (the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Board), represents a gross inequity and injustice to the sportsmen of the state Sportsmen essentially are represented entirely by the Division of Yildlife Resources. The agricultural and livestock interests are represented by eight annointees in addition to the commissioner of agneuiture, who is aiso the chairman. e By definition, game as well as can be declared as pedatious at the discretion of the proposed board The proposed act by provision directs the Division of Wildlife Resources to include as part of its annual budget an amount of funds equal to 23 percent of the tax revenue collected under the act during the previous fiscal year. In conclusion we consider the proposed Act contrary to the best interests of tlie citizens of the state of Utah. Ben M. Bridges, President Vernal Rod and Gun Club Venial, Utah non-gam- More planning for Capitol To the editor. To the editor con-sidei- feels the pinch of our economy right now. But in A4 peat concern To the editor Grateful for Rampton to leaders am an IDS Relief Society President who is grateful to my leaders for confirming my own misgiving about the I other state authorities. I am a widow and am well aware of the rising cost of living. 1 can appreciate the feeling of any citizen who JANUARY 79, 1975 Sportsmen 000080 harsh predator act No pay raise To the editor: I ara concerned over news of legislation now bring to raise the salaries of the governor and many NEWS, WEDNESDAY, The Commission recently voted to consider building ) 500.000 square feet of additional office space behind the present State Capitol, stating this could be done without (10-7- ERA President Kimball has recently given us simple solu- tions Capitol Hill degrading the Capitol for the complex grounds of residential area immediately surrounding. The present state office space occupied 180,000 square feet on the hill. The additional space would increase the car trips on Capitol Hill from 6.000 to 12,000 per day. EPA standards are stated to be 500 cars for an area of this size; economic ills which are tormenting us. I have never felt the need to assume the male role in order to feel equal. I am very thankful for inspired leadership in this uninspired and frentic world Margaret Knight, Parowan, m the increase would mean cars. 3000 The Capitol Hill Commission feels the increase in traffic could be accommodated by the widening of present roads and a change of traffic patterns. Opponents to their plan feel that cutting a swathe of i. v traffic patterns wmuid destroy the character of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, destroy certain historic sites, and, in the end. the purpose of the com- mission. The Legislature has two options: they can adopt the recommendations of the Commission, or suggest that the life of the Commission be extended one more year to complete the master plan requested m S B. 3 Eighteen neighborhood councils '150,000 people), the Salt Lake County Commission, the Salt Lake City Commission, the Salt Lake Traffic Advisory Council, and the Womens Council of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce have agreed that the master plan for the Capitol Hill area should be completed before the report of the Capitol Hill Commission is considered by the Legislature. As the legislator representing this area, I would appreciate hearing from you and please let your legislator know how you feel about this matter. Rep. Vee Carlisle, District 4 (Capitol Hill) Pay raise QUALITY LEAN s? RUMP ROAST proposal 'excessive' LB. GROUND FRESH SEVERAL TIMES DAILY WAREMART MEAT 16 QZ. WAREMART BEEF-THIC- K BOLOGNA BOLOGNA WAREMART MEAT 12-O- WAREMART BEEF 12-O- Z. WAREMART WIENERS EA. 70 look WIENERS DAN0LA SLICED MEATS Z. LB. HIND LOCKER fl Before a bill is seriously considered by the Legislature )o raise the salaries of judges and ome other elected officials. sincerely hope every legislator will take a careful 1 Z. WIENERS To the editor The increase really seems way out of laie To urge that the raise by $8 000 to $13 000 per year is absolutely ridicul ous when a good portion hard workers in this state do not even make a salary the amount of the suggested raise Also, to e a an argument that this would bring these salaries more in keeping with the salaries of similar offices m other states - ridiculous It makes much more sense tu coi relate the salaries with the state monies available and tlie other state priorities it seem-- , ludicrous to cut mental health funds, etc. and other sen ices to the unfortu nate whsle met easing money to the more fortunate u-- Mr t Lura Parker Heber |