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THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATES
RESOLUTION
Opposing Carriers’ Imposition of Regulatory Fees, Including
AT&T’s Efforts To Implement a
Nationwide “Regulatory Assessment Fee”
WHEREAS, Beginning July 1, 2003, AT&T intends
to begin collecting a $0.99 “Regulatory Assessment Fee”
from all customers who incur charges for any service (other than
AT&T local service) in any given month, in order to recover
its costs “associated with interstate access charges, property
taxes and regulatory proceedings and compliance”;
WHEREAS, This fee is similar to fees currently
being charged by other carriers, including wireless carriers;
WHEREAS, AT&T apparently intends to include
intrastate access charges among those costs being recovered by its
so-called Regulatory Assessment Fee;
WHEREAS, Both interstate and intrastate access
charges have been declining steadily over time, and are already
recovered in AT&T’s and other carriers’ existing
monthly and per minute rates;
WHEREAS, Property taxes and costs associated with
regulatory proceedings and compliance are ordinary business expenses
already recovered in AT&T’s and other carriers’
existing monthly and per minute rates;
WHEREAS, There is no rational relationship between
the amount of the proposed AT&T Regulatory Assessment Fee or
other carriers’ fees and the carriers’ actual costs;
WHEREAS, No federal or state governmental or regulatory
action has significantly increased either property taxes paid by
AT&T or AT&T’s and other carriers’ costs of
regulatory proceedings and compliance; and
WHEREAS, The so-called Regulatory Assessment Fee
and other carriers’ similar fees are simply be an unjustified
source of extra revenue, since AT&T plans and other carriers
have implemented no decrease in otherexisting rates when these fees
are imposed; and
WHEREAS, The characterization of these fees as
a “Regulatory Assessment Fee” or similar terms unfairly
and improperly suggests that it is the product of specific federal
or state regulatory action, or is otherwise a government-mandated
fee; and
WHEREAS, The so-called Regulatory Assessment Fee
and other similar fees are unwarranted surcharges or line items
on phone bills that will mislead customers, and hide the true cost
of the service offered by the carriers, including AT&T;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the National Association
of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) calls upon the Federal
Communications Commission, state public utility commissions and
state and federal legislators to reject AT&T’s efforts
to impose a “Regulatory Assessment Fee,” and other carriers’
similar fees as excessive, unjust or unreasonable rates, charges
or terms of service; and as such fees are inaccurate and misleading
because they do not involve full, clear and conspicuous disclosure
and truthful labeling; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NASUCA calls upon
state and federal regulatory, enforcement and legislative authorities
to require, to the extent that such fees are allowed, full, clear
and conspicuous disclosure and truthful labeling of such fees; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NASUCA directs the
Telecommunications Committee to mail a copy of the foregoing resolution
to appropriate state and federal regulatory, enforcement and legislative
authorities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NASUCA authorizes
the Executive Committee to develop positions and take further actions
consistent with the contents of this resolution. The Executive Committee
shall inform the membership of such positions and actions prior
to proceeding with them, if at all possible. In any event, the Executive
Committee will advise the membership of any actions taken consistent
with the recommendations contained herein.
Approved by NASUCA:
Submitted by June 2003, Portland, OR Telecommunications
Committee
National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates
8380 Colesville Road, Suite 101, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (301) 589-6313 Fax: 589-6380
e-mail: nasuca@nasuca.org |