By Chris Peeks January 23, 2022
Have you ever heard someone mention the Public Service commission and wondered what that is? Who sits on it? What all their job entails? How much do they get paid, and where do they get their funding? Below is a brief overview of the topics mentioned above that I will cover in more detail in the coming articles.
The Public Service Commission is a three-member, quasi-independent, statewide elected office. The voters of Alabama elect them to a four-year term, and unlike the state constitutional offices, there are no term limits for the public service commissioners. They are paid well for this position, earning $103,490 for this upcoming year.
The Public Service Commissioners' job is to regulate the utility companies, the railroads, water waste, and things of those nature. Their mission is to allow utility companies to profit while providing the lowest rates to Alabama citizens, as well as keeping them safe. They serve all the state's people except those in the Tennessee Valley Authority, which falls under the federal government's control.
The Public Service Commission receives no funding from the general fund. All of their money comes from the utilities they regulate. They charge them a fee for overseeing them, which they then have to pass on to the consumer, just like any business does when trying to maintain profit margins. This is no fault to them. That's just the way it goes.
Stay tuned for Part 2
Chris Peeks
Reporter and Columnist Alabama Political Contributor
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