Louisiana Public Service Commission
Encyclopedia
Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC) is an independent regulatory agency which manages public utilities and motor carriers in Louisiana
. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year terms. Thus the commissioners have large constituencies (bigger, e.g., than congressional districts
), long terms (6 years), and close involvement with issues of intense consumer interest (such as electricity bills); consequently membership on PSC has been known to serve as a springboard to even higher public office, as in the cases of Huey Long
, Jimmie Davis
, and John McKeithen
—PSC members who became governors of Louisiana.
, and telecommunication services. It also regulates the Louisiana electric cooperatives. It regulates intrastate transportation, including passenger carrier services, waste haulers, household goods carriers, non-consensual towing, and intrastate pipelines. These issues are inseparable from often strongly held opinions by consumers and the regulated industries. One of PSC's most-popular actions was its implementation, on January 1, 2002, of the "Do Not Call" program, which prohibits telemarketers from telephoning
people who request that they not receive such calls.
, in 1928; James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
in 1944; John Julian McKeithen
in 1964 and 1968; and Kathleen Babineaux Blanco in 2003.
Other Louisiana political heavyweights who have served on the PSC include Wade O. Martin, Sr.
, patriarch of another Louisiana political family, and John S. Hunt, III
, (1928–2001) of Monroe
, a nephew of Huey Long and Earl Kemp Long, who served on the commission from 1964 to 1972 when he was defeated by Ed Kennon. Hunt's mother was Lucille Long Hunt. Ernest Clements of Oberlin
in Allen Parish was a protégé of the Longs
.
, Jimmy Field, and Eric Skrmetta
and a vacancy resulting from the resignation of Dale Sittig
. Former U.S. Representative Clyde C. Holloway
was effectively elected to replace Sittig when the other candidate in the special election runoff, state Senator Joe McPherson
of Woodworth
, conceded on April 13.
Campbell, a Democrat from Bossier City
, has served on the PSC since 2002, when he unseated his fellow Democrat Donald Lynn "Don" Owen of Shreveport
, a former newsman for KSLA-TV
. Campbell failed in his own gubernatorial bid in 2007. Owen had been elected to the PSC in 1984, when then-incumbent
Francis Edward "Ed" Kennon, Jr.
, declined to seek a third term. Kennon is descended from a famous Louisiana political family: his uncle Robert F. Kennon
was governor from 1952 to 1956. Ed Kennon, a Shreveport developer, also ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor
in the 1971 Democratic primary
.
Dale Sittig of Eunice
served on the PSC from 1995 to 2008, when he resigned to accept a position with the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port. A special election on April 4, 2009, to choose a successor, resulted in a runoff between Republican
Clyde C. Holloway
and Democrat
Joe McPherson
. Former Democratic State Representative Gil Pinac
of Crowley
, the seat of Acadia Parish, ran as a Republican
candidate for the position but was eliminated in the primary and immediately endorsed Holloway. On April 13, 2009, McPherson conceded to Holloway, making Holloway effectively the commissioner-elect. Holloway ran for lieutenant governor in 2003 on a gubernatorial ticket headed by then Commissioner Jay Blossman, who withdrew from the race. Holloway remained a candidate for lieutenant governor but was crushed in the primary election.
In replacing Democrat Sittig, Holloway's addition to the PSC (even including the forerunner Louisiana Railroad Commission) developed the body's first-ever Republican majority. Commissioners Jimmy Field and Eric Skrmetta
are, like Holloway, Republican. Simultaneously, the PSC became the first statewide electoral group in Louisiana to develop a Republican majority since the Reconstruction era.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year terms. Thus the commissioners have large constituencies (bigger, e.g., than congressional districts
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
), long terms (6 years), and close involvement with issues of intense consumer interest (such as electricity bills); consequently membership on PSC has been known to serve as a springboard to even higher public office, as in the cases of Huey Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
, Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, and John McKeithen
John McKeithen
John Julian McKeithen was the 49th Governor of Louisiana, serving from 1964 to 1972. A Democrat from the town of Columbia, he was the first governor of his state in the twentieth century to serve two consecutive terms...
—PSC members who became governors of Louisiana.
Jurisdiction
The PSC is frequently in the news in Louisiana, largely because of its regulatory authority over publicly owned utilities which offer electric, water, waste water, natural gasNatural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, and telecommunication services. It also regulates the Louisiana electric cooperatives. It regulates intrastate transportation, including passenger carrier services, waste haulers, household goods carriers, non-consensual towing, and intrastate pipelines. These issues are inseparable from often strongly held opinions by consumers and the regulated industries. One of PSC's most-popular actions was its implementation, on January 1, 2002, of the "Do Not Call" program, which prohibits telemarketers from telephoning
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
people who request that they not receive such calls.
Background
Ever since its founding as the Railroad Commission of Louisiana in the state constitution of 1898, the PSC has been politically powerful and involved, its districts being larger than congressional districts and the issues it has regulated (such as electricity bills) being immediately felt by voters. Thus, not surprisingly, four PSC members have been elected governor of Louisiana: Huey Pierce Long, Jr.Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
, in 1928; James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
in 1944; John Julian McKeithen
John McKeithen
John Julian McKeithen was the 49th Governor of Louisiana, serving from 1964 to 1972. A Democrat from the town of Columbia, he was the first governor of his state in the twentieth century to serve two consecutive terms...
in 1964 and 1968; and Kathleen Babineaux Blanco in 2003.
Other Louisiana political heavyweights who have served on the PSC include Wade O. Martin, Sr.
Wade O. Martin, Sr.
Wade Omer Martin, Sr. was a Louisiana planter, educator, and politician allied with the Huey Pierce Long, Jr., faction of the Democratic Party. Martin's longest tenure was as the former District 2 member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, having served for twenty-four years, beginning...
, patriarch of another Louisiana political family, and John S. Hunt, III
John S. Hunt, III
John Smoker Hunt, III , was a nephew of Louisiana Governors Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Earl Kemp Long who served on the elected Louisiana Public Service Commission from May 1964, to December 31, 1972. He was unseated in the September 30, 1972, Democratic runoff by Francis Edward Kennon, Jr...
, (1928–2001) of Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
, a nephew of Huey Long and Earl Kemp Long, who served on the commission from 1964 to 1972 when he was defeated by Ed Kennon. Hunt's mother was Lucille Long Hunt. Ernest Clements of Oberlin
Oberlin, Louisiana
Oberlin is a town in and the parish seat of Allen Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,853 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Johan Friedrich Oberlin.-Geography:Oberlin is located at ....
in Allen Parish was a protégé of the Longs
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
.
Current makeup
Early in 2009 the PSC consisted of commissioners Foster L. Campbell, Jr.Foster Campbell
Foster L. Campbell, Jr. , is a Democratic member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, a former 26-year member of the Louisiana State Senate, and an unsuccessful candidate for governor in the October 20, 2007, jungle primary. Campbell polled 161,425 votes and won two parishes: Red River and...
, Jimmy Field, and Eric Skrmetta
Eric Skrmetta
Eric Frederick Skrmetta is an attorney from Metairie, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission from District 1, which includes suburban New Orleans, the eastern Florida Parishes, and the River Parishes...
and a vacancy resulting from the resignation of Dale Sittig
Dale Sittig
Clifton Dale Sittig is the director of the Louisiana Offshore Terminal Authority, who previously served from 1995-2008 as a Democratic member of his state’s Public Service Commission and from 1983-1995 as a state representative from Eunice in St. Landry Parish in south Louisiana.Sittig graduated...
. Former U.S. Representative Clyde C. Holloway
Clyde C. Holloway
Clyde Cecil Holloway is an American small business owner from Forest Hill in the southern part of Rapides Parish who is one of five members of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. He also served as a conservative Republican member of the U.S...
was effectively elected to replace Sittig when the other candidate in the special election runoff, state Senator Joe McPherson
Joe McPherson
William Joseph "Joe" McPherson, Jr., is a retiring veteran Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from Woodworth, a small community south of Alexandria, Louisiana, the seat of government of Rapides Parish and the largest city in the Central Louisiana region...
of Woodworth
Woodworth, Louisiana
Woodworth is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,080 at the 2000 census....
, conceded on April 13.
Campbell, a Democrat from Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
, has served on the PSC since 2002, when he unseated his fellow Democrat Donald Lynn "Don" Owen of Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, a former newsman for KSLA-TV
KSLA-TV
KSLA, virtual channel 12, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Shreveport, Louisiana and the Ark-La-Tex region. Owned by Raycom Media, it broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 17. The sole transmitter is located in Mooringsport, Louisiana...
. Campbell failed in his own gubernatorial bid in 2007. Owen had been elected to the PSC in 1984, when then-incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Francis Edward "Ed" Kennon, Jr.
Edward Kennon
Francis Edward Kennon, Jr. , usually known as Ed Kennon is a multi-millionaire Shreveport real-estate developer and a former Democratic member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, the regulatory body for oil, natural gas, and utilities. He represented north Louisiana on the commission for...
, declined to seek a third term. Kennon is descended from a famous Louisiana political family: his uncle Robert F. Kennon
Robert F. Kennon
Robert Floyd Kennon, Sr., known as Bob Kennon , was the 48th Governor of Louisiana, serving from 1952-1956. He failed to win a second non-consecutive term in the 1963 Democratic primary....
was governor from 1952 to 1956. Ed Kennon, a Shreveport developer, also ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
in the 1971 Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
.
Dale Sittig of Eunice
Eunice, Louisiana
Eunice is a city in Acadia, Evangeline and St. Landry parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 11,499 at the 2000 census.The St...
served on the PSC from 1995 to 2008, when he resigned to accept a position with the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port. A special election on April 4, 2009, to choose a successor, resulted in a runoff between Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Clyde C. Holloway
Clyde C. Holloway
Clyde Cecil Holloway is an American small business owner from Forest Hill in the southern part of Rapides Parish who is one of five members of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. He also served as a conservative Republican member of the U.S...
and Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Joe McPherson
Joe McPherson
William Joseph "Joe" McPherson, Jr., is a retiring veteran Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from Woodworth, a small community south of Alexandria, Louisiana, the seat of government of Rapides Parish and the largest city in the Central Louisiana region...
. Former Democratic State Representative Gil Pinac
Gil Pinac
Gillis James Pinac, known as Gil Pinac is a former 12-year Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Crowley, the seat of Acadia Parish...
of Crowley
Crowley, Louisiana
Crowley is a city in and the parish seat of Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 14,225 at the 2000 census. The city is noted for its annual International Rice Festival. Crowley has the nickname of "Rice Capital of America", because at one time it was a major center for...
, the seat of Acadia Parish, ran as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for the position but was eliminated in the primary and immediately endorsed Holloway. On April 13, 2009, McPherson conceded to Holloway, making Holloway effectively the commissioner-elect. Holloway ran for lieutenant governor in 2003 on a gubernatorial ticket headed by then Commissioner Jay Blossman, who withdrew from the race. Holloway remained a candidate for lieutenant governor but was crushed in the primary election.
In replacing Democrat Sittig, Holloway's addition to the PSC (even including the forerunner Louisiana Railroad Commission) developed the body's first-ever Republican majority. Commissioners Jimmy Field and Eric Skrmetta
Eric Skrmetta
Eric Frederick Skrmetta is an attorney from Metairie, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission from District 1, which includes suburban New Orleans, the eastern Florida Parishes, and the River Parishes...
are, like Holloway, Republican. Simultaneously, the PSC became the first statewide electoral group in Louisiana to develop a Republican majority since the Reconstruction era.