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Monday, April 21, 2003 |
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Public Service Commission to be elected? This year the State Legislature passed a resolution calling for a study of whether the Public Service Commission should be an elected body. Last Wednesday, the Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee met to discuss the issue. Opponents said that the plan would politicize the process. Supporters that election would ensure there was public discussion of utility regulation policy every two years. Thirty Seven states have appointed commissioners, 13 have elected members. Opponents feared election would inject utility money into PSC campaigns. Supporters cited a recent poll showing 3/4 of voters favored changing to an elected body. Full hearings will follow this fall with a final report due by year's end. [Utah Legislature Website] [Salt Lake Tribune]comments or questions [] 10:28:57 AM 
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USU provost in running for President of University of North Florida At least he was. It appears that Stan Albrecht, who worked at the University of Florida until four years ago was edged out by Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney. [St. Petersburg Times]comments or questions [] 10:20:59 AM
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Romney Residency still an issue During the Massachusetts governor's race, there were charges that Mitt Romney was not even a resident of Massachusetts, after his foray to Utah for the Olympics. Now more controversy brews over Utah License Plates. Romney's truck still has them, despite a Massachussetts law requiring residents to register their vehicles within 30 days. Romney aides say he plans to return the truck to Utah. Romney's Deputy Chief of Staff and an aide also still carry Utah plates. [Boston Herald]comments or questions [] 10:15:14 AM
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States, including Utah, turning to taxes on Satellite Dishes Utah has instituted taxes on cable and DBS (Digital Broadcast Satellites). A number of other states are looking at such options, and, according to a DBS group, cable companies are lobbying strongly for taxes on satellite dishes. Cable companies says that exempting cable from sales taxation is fair because cable customers already pay franchise taxes. DBS providers do not, but do pay spectrum allocation fees to the FCC. Twenty-three states currently tax one or both. Utah faced lobbyng from cable companies for an exemption, but in the end, both were taxed. In Ohio, however, the cable lobby was successful in exempting cable from sales tax. [Ohio Cable Telecommunication Association]comments or questions [] 10:05:37 AM
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Washington Watch: Utah's Congressional Delegation - 4/ 21 Sen. Hatch lauds Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a potential candidate for Senate Majority should Tennessee's Bill Frist retire in 2006: He tramped on a few toes in those early years - by the way, they were toes, I think, he should have tramped on.
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Utah Mortgage Company facing Federal / State Investigation Fairbanks Capital Corp. is being investigated by Federal agencies Housing & Urban Development and the Federal Trade Commission, as well as the states of Maryland and Utah. The mortgage company, based in Salt Lake City, is the subject of 12 consumer complaints. Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski asked HUD to get involved after a series of high-profile homeowners' complaints in that state which became the focus of a series of television news stories. The company denies any criminal wrongdoing. [National Mortgage News] [WBAL-TV] [Fairbanks Capital Corporation]comments or questions [] 9:41:59 AM
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Last update: 5/1/2003; 9:45:29 AM .
