CCP 07-15-1996 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I . .e I FRIDAY,JULY [2. 1996 SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS I REGION l::'~m~~ars backing US West against city fees us West. West of the Redwood Falls deci. phone companies to resolve those I appealed to agency "It's been our position that mu- sian, he said, issues." . nicipalities should not charge "It's very reasonahle to expect Crawford said he knows of no after suit dismissed those franchise fees," he said. "To municipalities should have the au- community that sees franchise ensure the provision of phone ser- thority to tell companies where fees as a cash cow: They're just MARTIN J. MOYLAN STAFF WRITER vice at fair and reasonable rates, and when they can install infra- looking at them as ways to more we need to assure rights of way structure," Sampsel said. "But fully recover costs associated with are available and unimpeded." moving into franchise fees is utilities tearing up puhlic ways, he he state Public Utilities Com- And franchise fees could he an something else." said. mission and Public Service De- impediment, he said. David Crawford, an attorney US West attorney Dave Seykora partment appear ready to back US He noted that utility companies representing the League of Minne. said Minnesota law gives the PUC I_assertion that some cities must hear the cost of tearing up sota Cities, said the squabble in. exclusive authori.ty over the iran. ns have tried to usurp the and restoring streets when they valves much more than franchise chising of phone companies and '. regulatory authority over fees, however. local phone companies. perform work. "It's a question of a city's abili- the setting of terms and conditions I The most noteworthy example David Sampsel, Public Service ty toset certain reasonahle stan- for construction and service deliv- a Redwood Falls ordinance that Department spokesman, said any dards." he said. "We believe a city ery. t a franchise fee of 2.6 cents per additional, charge communities as- has the authority to do that. And "We have encountered situations foot per year on new fiber-optic sess phone companies would likely it's closer to the citizens and with a few municipalities where lone cable laid beneath public he passed on to customers. In ef- knows what thev need." an ordinance or proposed ordi- hts of way. feet, it would be a tax, he said. With the deregulation of the nance seemed to go into an area of US West had challenged the fee "If they use franchise fees for telecommunication industry, many the PUC's jurisdiction," he said. In Redwood County District Court, general funds, they're burying a communities fear they'll he inun- "What we're dealing with in Red- but its suit was dismissed in May. tax increase in people's telephone dated with requests to tear up wood Falls is a principle. ... It's a I appealed to the PUC, saying bills/t he said, . their streets again and again to small fee today but may be a dwood Falls was dealing with He said state law does not sup- install new communication 8Y8- much larger fee tomorrow." issue within the pue's domain. port municipalities assessing iran- terns, he said. He added that it would be very PUC spokesman Jim Pepe indi- chise fees from phone companies. "Thnse are the kinds of things difficult to plan and huild a phone led Thursday that the commis- And the Public Service Depart- cities are very concerned about," network if US West had to cope n will issue an order within a ment is considering filing a brief Crawford said. "We're hoping we with a hodgepodge of different . weeks that effectively backs supporting any legal appeal hy US can work with US West and other regulations in each community. I I I .. I