Res 347 2/9/1959RESOLUTION NC. 347,
ITERFAS, there has been introduced before the Legislature
of the State of Texas, a certain bill or bills, which would set
up, in effect, a State -wide Utility Commission which in turn would
pass upon the utility rate or charge for any utility in any com-
munity in the State of Texas; and,
VEHHRFAS, the City of Wichita Falls, through its Board of
Aldermen, feels that an expression of opinion by this Board should
be made;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF THE
CITY OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS:
That the City of Wichita Falls opposes the formation of any
kind or character, of a rate fixing body which would set the rates
to be charged for municipal services for public utilities in any
community in Texas and particularly, in the City of Wichita Falls,
That the City of Wichita Falls feels that the Board of Alder-
men, or the governing body of an average city is in a better position
to determine what rates its citizenship should pay for its utility
services than any other method or fact finding body that could be
devised for such purpose.
in connection therewith, the City of Wichita Falls in a prior
controversy on telephone rates, made a comparison of cities with a
public utility commission that set the rates on a state -wide basis
as compared with rates of similar services in cities of a similar
size cohere the rates were promulgated by the local governing body
and the public in the local situation obtained better and cheaper
rates than did the public in cities which were served by a state-
wade commission.
That the City of Wichita Fars further believes that there
is no necessity for burdening the State of Texas with the further
i
charges and costs incident to a utility cor_iaission which would be
for the sole benefit of the cities of Texas.
That the proper medium of local government should be
respected and hence, the local governing body being perfectly
capable of making a fair and complete factual finding upon which
to predicate a rate, the establishing of a state - -wide commission
would be useless.
That this resolution is not intended to ask for a repeal
of any existing lair with reference to rates, such as the right of
the Railroad Commission of Texas to set rates on natural gas;
however, the City of 'xfichita malls does not want any further ex-
tension of state -wide commission authority of any kind or character
over its utility rates.
IT 1v FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution
certified to by the City Clerlk be furnished to the Representatives
in Austin, who represent this area..
PASSED MD APPROV-ED this the 9th day of February, 1959.
Teo. T Henderson,
er
- 2 -
. C;. Spe 11, i.ayor
STATE OF TEXAS
CQ ! 1 Y OF ;TICHITA
I,, Geo. T. Henderson, City Clerk of the City of Wichita Fa11s, Texas,
hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct copy of
Resolution No. 34f, adopted and passed by the Board of Aldermen of the City
of Wichita Falls, Texas, on February 9, 1959, as of record. on Page Igo..
364, Itinute Book No. 16, of the City of Wichita Falls, Texas,
Witness my hand and seal of the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, this
17th day of February, A.D. 1955.
Cldrk.of the City of -
Wichita Falls, Texas