News Scrapbook 1984

Saturday, July 21, 1984

L therans, USD planning

conferenee o

worship,

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San Diego, CA (San Diego Co.) San Diego Union (Cir. D. 217,324) (Cir. S. 339,788)

San Diego, CA (San Diego Co.) Even ing Tribune (Cir. D. 127,454) JUL

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A shocking bill

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/-vour_J]ome, How to Buy It, How to ~ · the first in a serie of fr workshops sponsored by Con- umer Credit Counselor , will be pre- nted from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thur - day m the University of San Diego, Founders Halr.Room 124. F'or infor- matwa or reservations, call 234-4118.

Rob~rt F~~as asked the state to bill the San Diego Gas & Electrfr Co. for $48,241 to cover legal and other expenses in- curred during the creation of a consumer watchdog group. And if he collects, the utility's 835,000 customers will be picking up the tab. Mr. Fellmeth is a lawyer ancf director of the Center for Public Interest Law at the U~ of San~~ also the man most responsible !or the Utility Consumer Action Network - better known as UCAN - an agency which was authorized last April by the Public Utilities Com- mission to keep an eye on SDG&E. The PUC also gave the group permission to include member- •hip solicitations in the utility's b1lhng envelopes. Although this action amounted to a confisca- tion of the company's property without compensation, SDG&E reluctantly agreed to enclose the mailers. But the company strenu- ously objects to Mr. Fellmeth's· request that the Center for Pub- lic Interest Law and the universi-

ty be recompensed for their ef- forts in UCAN's behalf. The company has a good case. It's . bad enough that UCAN received a free ride to solicit more than $250,000 in voluntary memberships; now Mr. Fellmeth wants the utility to compensate the law center $33,650 for the loss of his time, and toss in another $14,591 for the university because it provided office space to the or- ganization in the early going. His request is particularly galling because UCAN was granted special privileges with the understanding that it would be a voluntary group paid for by those persons who chose to join. But if the PUC finds in Mr. Fellmeth's favqr, more than 90

percent of SDG&E customers, who have declined membership in UCAN, will pay most of its or- ganizational costs. Mr. Fellmeth has scrupulously avoided any suggestion that his request 1s sanctioned by UCAN. In fact, his fellow board directors were not even notified that he was asking for additional com- pensation. We suspect, however, that the issue will be the subject of animated discussion this eve- ning during the organization's monthly board meeting. Perhaps then, Mr. Fellmeth will explain to everyone's satis- faction why he is seeking a whopping $120 an hour for the time he spent arguing UCAN's case before the PUC.

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San Diego, CA (San Diego Ca.) Evening Tribune (Cir. D. 127,4541

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) 'j taae Dick Braun Orchestra will pr nt a free jazz concert Thursday at the Uni,.,crs1~ of Sait.Diego. The program JS ponsored by the USD office of Continuing Education in co- operaho~ with the San Diego' Musi- c,~ Union. The 7:30 p.m program will be held in the Douglas F M che ter Auditorium at the univ~rsi~.-

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