Arcadia Telephone Co. v. Public Utilities Commission

389 N.E.2d 498, 58 Ohio St. 2d 180, 30 P.U.R.4th 131, 12 Ohio Op. 3d 182, 1979 Ohio LEXIS 409
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedMay 16, 1979
DocketNo. 78-1121
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 389 N.E.2d 498 (Arcadia Telephone Co. v. Public Utilities Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Arcadia Telephone Co. v. Public Utilities Commission, 389 N.E.2d 498, 58 Ohio St. 2d 180, 30 P.U.R.4th 131, 12 Ohio Op. 3d 182, 1979 Ohio LEXIS 409 (Ohio 1979).

Opinion

Per Curiam.

E. C. 4905.26, 4905.22 and 4905.381 authorize the commission to order telephone companies under its jurisdiction to establish Extended Area Service (EAS). See Ohio Central Telephone Corp. v. Pub. Util. Comm. (1957), 166 Ohio St. 180. As indicated earlier, the considerations that are weighed in coming to a final decision concerning the propriety of EAS are set forth in Chapter 4901 :l-7, Ohio Adm. Code.2

[183]*183The appellant has raised a sole proposition of law directed at the rates to be charged under the commission order, which reads: “The public utilities commission may not provide a new and improved service at rates which are unjust, unreasonable or in violation of law.”

The crux of appellant’s argument is that by ordering the institution of EAS, without allowing a tariff adjustment for the proposed loss in toll revenues, the commission has violated the provisions of R. C. 4905.22 and 4905.-381. Furthermore, the rates to be charged are confiscatory in violation of the Ohio and United States Constitutions.

The appellant contends that the $41,699 loss in toll revenues that will appear as a result of the introduction of EAS will wipe out its current annual return of $22,039 and will, in turn, force it to suffer a deficit. Arcadia argues further that the commission is required both by law and its own regulations to consider not only the expenses or cost of instituting the new service, but also any corresponding loss in revenues.

The scope of review required on an appeal from the Public Utilities Commission, mandated by R. C. 4903.13, dictates that an order of the commission will bo overturned where, upon a consideration of the record, that particular order is either unreasonable or unlawful.

In Ohio Central Telephone Corp., supra, this court recognized that when EAS is ordered, the record must reflect commission consideration of the “cost” of that new service in order for that administrative body to live up to its statutory responsibilities. The third paragraph of the syllabus of that decision reads as follows:

[184]*184“In the situation described, the Public Utilities Commission possesses jurisdiction to fix or approve fair and reasonable telephone charges to the benefited subscribers of the affected exchanges to meet any increased costs of providing such extended-area service and has jurisdiction to adjust any differences or disputes which may exist or arise between the telephone companies involved, in the inauguration and rendition of such extended area service.” (Emphasis added.)

Such a requirement is consistent with the provisions of R. C. 4905.22, which provides that all charges for service shall be just and reasonable.

In the more recent decision of General Tel. Co. v. Pub. Util. Comm. (1976), 45 Ohio St. 2d 154, this court was faced with a fact pattern similar to that presented by the current appeal. In that case the G-eneral Telephone Company objected to an EAS order, contending, at page 156, that “* * *the revenues generated by the service are completely inadequate to cover its costs.” This court affirmed the commission order, although that order did not allow the utility any remuneration for lost toll revenues, and only considered the costs of the initial investment and those related to the installation and maintenance of such service. Although the issue of confiscation was not specifically addressed, the allegation that the rates permitted were ‘‘grossly inadequate” impliedly involved that question.

In the present appeal, the commission dealt at length with the issue of lost toll revenues in its order of May 18, 1978, and outlined several reasons for not including that figure in the calculation of the new EAS rates. In addition to various technical reasons justifying the exclusion, the commission concluded that any resulting impairment of Arcadia’s rate of return could not be accurately ascertained in an EAS proceeding. The commission’s analysis and rationale for excluding an adjustment for lost toll revenues was as follows:

“In its reply to complainants’ exceptions to the Supplemental Attorney Examiner’s Report, Arcadia argued [185]*185that constitutional requirements of due process require the continuity of prior revenues and the reimbursement- of now expenses associated with the implementation of extended area service. The Commission does not ágree. Reimburser ment of new expenses for unhanded telephone companies providing extended area service is provided for in the Commission Rules ;'- however, continuity of prior revenues and maintenance of a constant rate of return are not guaranteed a utility in the context of an extended area service ease, or in normal daily activities. Revenues can rise and fall based on the number of subscribers, the type of equipment they subscribe to, the number and duration of toll calls made by subscribers and toll rates charged by telephone companies (e. g., Arcadia began charging higher rates for toll service following the completion of the last Ohio Bell rate case). Expenses can also rise and fall.
“To the extent that the loss of toll revenue impairs the involved utility’s rate of return, that utility clearly has (he statutory right to file for a rate adjustment pursuant to Chapter 4909 of the Ohio Revised Code. In the context of that proceeding, the burden of proof lies upon the utility to establish the merits of its request. Further, the Commission would have the benefit of a Staff Report and Investigation into the overall condition of the involved utility. Were the Commission to attempt to adjust rates in the context of an extended area service proceeding, it would at present not have the assistance of a Commission Staff Report, and would be viewing the impact of extended area service upon only a portion of the revenues of the involved utility, and probably little or none of its expenses. The burden of countering the telephone company’s allegation of insufficient revenue would fall solely upon the complainants. The complainants do have the burden of proof in a complaint case but they should not be required to bear the additional burden of investigating the revenue requirements of their telephone company..
“Other reasons exist for not permitting lost toll revenue to be included in the rates. The inclusion of lost toll [186]*186revenues as a cost to be borne by subscribers has the effect of charging customers both for the new service facilities required for extended area service and for the old long distance service being discontinued.
“If lost toll revenue were included, timing would become an important factor for the complainants because the amount included would depend on when the subscribers asked the Commission to consider their request, e. g., the amount of lost toll revenue would be higher if the subscribers waited to file their case until their calling rate was six calls per main station instead of filing it when it was four. The amount of the lost toll revenue included can also depend on the length of time the case is pending before the Commission. At the time of the first hearing in this case in October 1973, Arcadia estimated that their lost toll revenue was $28,278. By the time the final hearings were held in April 1977, the lost toll revenue ha'd risen to $41,699.

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Bluebook (online)
389 N.E.2d 498, 58 Ohio St. 2d 180, 30 P.U.R.4th 131, 12 Ohio Op. 3d 182, 1979 Ohio LEXIS 409, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/arcadia-telephone-co-v-public-utilities-commission-ohio-1979.