PaPUC News

At its Public Meeting yesterday, the PUC found itself in the unenviable position of being deadlocked 2-2 on a couple of telco-related items. First, the Commissioners addressed the relay surcharge, with Commissioners Coleman and Yanora proposing to reduce the 8-cent levy to zero for the upcoming year based, in part on the sizeable surplus currently in the program. Chairman Brown Dutrielle disagreed, saying that she believed the pandemic may increase demand for relay services and Vice Chairman Sweet offered that the surplus should be used to reinvigorate the fund. The second matter involved the Governor’s disaster proclamation, the Commission’s tethered Emergency Order, and what all of it means now that the Governor has extended the situation until September. Commissioner Coleman offered a Motion (Supported by Commissioner Yanora) which would have allowed telcos to begin the termination process for business customers on July 1^st and for residential customers on July 15^th. The Chair and Vice Chair disagreed.