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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12201983 - 2.1 (2)THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on December 20, 1983 , by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, McPeak, Torlakson, Schroder NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: Implementation of the Moore Universal Telephone Service Act The Board having received notification of an order instituting investigation before the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California with respect to the Commission's method of implementation of the Moore Universal Telephone Service Act and requesting all respondents and interested parties to provide input on policy questions (as provided with said Order) as well as issues relating to who should qualify for universal telephone service rates, eligibility criteria, and determination of the charac- teristics of universal telephone service; IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the aforesaid documents are REFERRED to the Public Works Director. I heresy certify that this Is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on tho minutes o1 the Board o1 Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED:A_t_ m Z/� a0, 101-v J.R. OLSSO►N, COUNTY CLERK and ex officio Cicrk of the Board By ,L�� Deputy cc: Public Works Director County Administrator 1220.2.10 0 L/SR': ddm F I L E D PUBIC UTILITIES COMMISSION BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA NOV 3 01963 Investigation -on the Commission's ) SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE own motion into the method of ) implementation of the Moore ) OII rw S3 11 OSCR>>i enaking) Universal Telephone Service Act. ) ORDER INSTITUTING INVESTIGATION (Rulemaking) At its most recent session the Legislature enacted, and the Governor approved, the "Moore Universal Telephone Service Act, (Chapter 1143) adding Section 739.2 to the Public Utilities Code and Sections 44000-44190 to the Revenue and Taxation Code. (Attachment I) The Moore Act requires the Commission to design and implement a plan for universal telephone service within specified guidelines. The purpose of this investigation is to gather sufficient information to carry out the legislative purpose. Under the PZoore Act the Commission must establish a class of residential telephone customers entitled to service at a rate not greater than 50% of the basic residential telephone service rate. To pay for this universal service the Act imposes a tax on the gross revenue of service suppliers of intrastate telecommunications service. This Commission is to determine the tax rate and the service suppliers to be taxed by May 1 of each year. It must notify the Board of Equalization of its determination. From this condensation of the Moore Act it is apparent that many issues must be resolved in a very brief time. This need for expedition will put time pressure on all participants and the Commission. Therefore we have determined to adopt an innovative procedure that will provide verified factual information, allow for all respondents and interested parties to express their views on the policy questions we will pose in this order, -M, �� 1 358 OII Ro. 83-11-05 - L/SR:ddm encourage anyone who wishes to present such other thoughts as he or she thinks may be of use to our decision, and accomplish all of this within the time prescribed by the Act. Accordingly, it is ordered that: 1. Every "service supplier" as that term is defined in Section 44016 of the Rev. & Tax Code is hereby named a respondent to this proceeding. A list of those service suppliers who currently have tariffs on file with the Commission is included as Attachment II. 2. Every respondent is directed to answer the questions contained in Attachment III. The response shall be verified. An original and twelve copies of the responses must be filed at the Commission's San Francisco Docket Office by January 4, 1984. Two copies of the responses will be available for public review at the San Francisco offices of the Commission and one copy in the Los Angeles office. 3. All respondents and interested parties are invited to respond to the questions contained in Attachment IV. These questions are intended to give interpretive assistance and policy guidance to the Commission on issues arising under the Moore Act. Any other matters which the writer deems appropriate may also be included. An original and twelve copies of these written responses shall be filed at the San Francisco Docket Office by January 4, 1984 by the respondents, and by January 23, 1984 by all interested parties. Two copies will be available for public reivew in San Francisco and one copy will be available in Los Angeles. In addition all respondents and interested parties are invited to list any exhibits, transcript references, or decisions in the Commission files of which it would like the Commission to to take notice. Specific page and line numbers should be cited along with the conclusion the Commission is expected to reach from the material cited. The Commission will distribute one or more proposals for discussion by participants at the public hearings ordered in the following paragraph. 2 I 3,59 011 No. 83-11-05 - L/SR:ddm 4. Public hearings are necessary so that the responses may be further explained, rebutted, and tested. These will be hearings before the'Commission en banc in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. Notice of the hearings and time allotment for presentation will be sent to all participants. Participants are cautioned that the date for public hearing may be on less than ten days notice. Participation need not be under oath. Questions will not be permitted by the parties. Requests for time to testify must be made no later than February 1, 1984, but may be included as the last page of the response to the questions in Attachment IV. 5. The Commission is particularly interested in obtaining the views of interested parties on the issues of: a) Who should qualify for universal telephone service rates? b) How eligibility should be established? c) What should be the characteristics of universal telephone service, i.e.: unlimited calls, limited calls, restricted exchanges, other? The Executive Director is directed to serve a copy of this order on all respondents in Attachment II by certified mail. He is further directed to send a copy of this order to the clerk of the board of supervisors of each county in the state, to all participants in hearings in AB 1348, to all parties in the most recent rate proceedings of Pacific Telephone Co. and General Telephone Co. of Calif., and to anyone else he deems proper. The Commission welcomes the interest and participation of all Californians. Dated at San Francisco, California this 30th day of November, 1983. sw, beiLn :.aho 3 LEOF M-3 '.''i GP.T_NE'S, JR. F:�siaent 360 v�