Jewell v. Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission

Should charitable contributions by privately owned telephone companies be paid by the telephone users or by the companies' stockholders? That is the issue in this case.

In two telephone rate setting cases, the Utilities and Transportation Commission (commission) allowed charitable contributions to be included as part of the expenses of doing business in establishing telephone rates pursuant to RCW 80.01.040(3). This allowance was a change in policy by the commission which had previously denied contributions as an expense to be taken into account in determining rates.

Appellants are subscribers…