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Letters to the Editor
Readers - Aug. 2007
The PSC
Editor’s note: Anthony De Luise, director of the PSC’s Office of Public Information, wrote Florida Trend pointing out several errors in the July Tallahassee Trend column, “Power to the People”: Public Service Commissioner Katrina McMurrian is not an attorney; PSC Chairman Lisa Polak Edgar was previously at the Department of Environment Protection; a vote to penalize Utilities Inc. for service problems in one of its service areas did not turn down the requested rate increase but only disallowed that area’s share of the costs of the rate case, about $4,000.
In addition, De Luise offered the following comments about the article:
In addition to the factual errors, Neil Skene omits pertinent information and leads his readers to draw false conclusions about the Public Service Commission. For example, following the hurricane season of 2004, the PSC allowed Florida Power and Light to recover certain “normal” operating costs. Contrary to Mr. Skene’s assertions, the PSC did not charge customers for power they didn’t use during outages. The surcharge was designed to recover the cost of storm restoration as allowed by law.
Furthermore, Mr. Skene failed to disclose that in 2006, under Chairman Lisa Polak Edgar, the PSC faced the issue again. Based on additional information unavailable in 2005, the PSC set a new policy that was heralded by many consumer advocates. It’s the duty and responsibility of any reporter to research subject matter thoroughly.
Under the leadership of Chairman Edgar, the PSC has advanced many important objectives, including: Further developing an organizational culture that embraces the highest ethical standards; strengthening the state’s electric infrastructure following the widespread storm damage of 2004 and 2005; adopting rules and polices designed to promote the development of renewable energy resources; implementing a new automatic enrollment process for the Lifeline program, significantly increasing the number of low-income Floridians who received a monthly credit on the telephone bill.
Readers of Florida Trend deserve the facts and the appropriate context to make informed decisions about the role and
decisions of the PSC.
Anthony De Luise
Director, Office of Public Information
Florida Public Service Commission
Taxes
I agree local government needs to be held accountable [“Tinkering with Taxes,” June, FloridaTrend.com]. I did not vote for the city officials and county commissioners who imposed the ridiculous millage rates on St. Lucie County. I attended public meetings and spoke. I contacted local administrators and commissioners; only two got back to me. I then contacted state representatives and senators. I heard from ones outside of my county very quickly. It took four calls and several e-mails to get a response from state Rep. Gayle Harrell’s office. But I am one voice, and too many people are cushioned behind Save Our Homes to feel the pain, so they did not vote for change. Some of us are trying to make local government accountable, so please don’t generalize.
Caryn Lones
Port St. Lucie
Women Board Members
Capital City Bank has been recognized for years for having two or more women on our board [“Women on Board,” June, FloridaTrend.com]. So naturally we were disappointed we didn’t make your list but understand our two of 11 board members doesn’t give us 25%.
However, I think we should have been listed with the companies who employed two or more women in top level management positions. We actually have four women on our senior management team.
Additionally, we were omitted from the alphabetical listing of companies.
Flecia Braswell
Tallahassee
Taxing Values
“Value Judgment” [June, FloridaTrend.com] contained erroneous information.
First it compares a two-acre marina in Broward County to a one-acre marina in Palm Beach County. The error is that the marina in Palm Beach County is 5.24 acres, not one acre. When you do the math, you find that the 5.24-acre marina in Palm Beach County is assessed at a lower per acre value than the two-acre marina in Broward, exactly the opposite of what the article imparts on the reader.
Next it says: “He (referring to me) assesses the marina as a high-rise condo.” The statement is false. The upland portion of the marina was assessed as vacant commercial land and was based on the sales of similarly zoned intracoastal properties that had sold during 2004 and 2005. You cannot value property based on some speculative use. This marina is not a high-rise condominium, and it has not been valued as such!
Gary R. Nikolits
Palm Beach County property appraiser
Letters To Florida Trend
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