Georgia's top attorney has ruled that the Public Service Commission had no authority to defy a 16-year-old state law when it voted to extend the tenure of its chairman. Since 1992, the PSC chair has served for one year. Recently, however, the PSC voted to increase the chair's tenure from one to two years.
Commissioner Bobby Baker was one of two who voted against extending the tenure. The other was Commissioner Chuck Eaton. Both are seen as strong consumer advocates.
Commissioner Bobby Baker was one of two who voted against extending the tenure. The other was Commissioner Chuck Eaton. Both are seen as strong consumer advocates.
"I had advised the commissioners from the very beginning that we couldn't ignore the law and the PSC wasn't empowered to take unilateral action to ignore the law and change. I'm hoping that everybody will sit down and review the attorney general's opinion and do the right thing," says Baker.The man next in line to lead the PSC is Commissioner Stan Wise of Marietta. Wise responded to the AG's opinion saying …
"It's just that. It's an opinion. And so, if Chairman Everett steps down and I assume the chairmanship on July 1st, it remains to be seen if somebody can and will challenge this commission if I continue past January 1st."A legislative attempt earlier this year to extend the one year tenure made it out of the state House of Representatives but died on the floor of the Senate. Current PSC Chair Doug Everett is scheduled to step down June 30. Under the new rules, Everett will serve another year, absent a legal challenge.
