CC PACKET 06242014 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

52 1985 Northern States Power General Rate Case. The SRA "pioneered" an issue as to fossil fuel inventory. The SRA also helped maintain the municipal pumping rate, and defended prior SRA accomplishments as to accounting practices. Very substantial savings were realized through SRA intervention. This case was appealed to the Court of Appeals and the State Supreme Court and the SRA (alone) participated with MPUC in successfully defending MPUC's action. ESTIMATED COST SAVINGS FROM SRA EFFORTS Tangible dollar savings from SRA efforts since 1977 to the taxpayer (through municipal customer rates) and ratepayer in Twin City suburbs and beyond easily total in the millions of dollars. The incremental reductions are often unnoticeable and small in amount to individual ratepayers, but collectively over the years they are very significant. Moreover, the above successes are unique to SRA and would not have occurred except for SRA involvement. That is because there are a limited number of parties that have the expertise or funding to participate in these PUC proceedings. Of those parties (state agencies, industrial groups, environmental groups), only the SRA represents municipal interests and suburban interests. Most of the issues noted above would not have been addressed if the SRA had not been involved. A significant example of this is the elimination of the then US West Tiered telephone rates in 1992. Without the SRA opposition to telephone rates that increased as you moved away from the downtown areas of Minneapolis and St.Paul, one can assume such tiered rates would have continued for many years beyond 1992, at greater expense to suburban ratepayers. The SRA has secured other intangible savings to its members through access to up-to- date on right-of-way utility management, franchise agreements, wireless tower siting and other issues vital to municipal regulatory powers. These are benefits all SRA members should take advantage of at quarterly meetings and by request to general counsel, Jim Strommen at Kennedy and Graven, 612-337-9233. MEMBER ASSESSMENTS The SRA members are assessed on the basis of population and voting power. Each 5,000 in population or fraction thereof, is equal to one vote. For instance, a city of 23,000 would have five votes. For fifteen years, the SRA's assessment per vote has not increased. Each vote equals a $400 per year annual assessment. The SRA has been very fiscally responsible and benefits greatly from the continued membership of its members. 355483v1 1MS SU160-3 6