Calif. Lawmakers Consider Mailers To Add Pressure On FERC (KFWB) 7.13.01, 7:35a --

The Democratic-led California Senate is considering sending mailers to voters asking for support of their demands that federal regulators order $8.9 billion in refunds for alleged overcharges.

An administrative judge acting as a mediator for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has decided that refunds are due, but at a fraction of what the state is demanding.

The mailers would ask voters to return an attached card to their state senator. Lawmakers will then decide what to do with the cards -- either filing them or sending them to FERC.

The cost will be covered by taxpayer funds. If up to 30,000 mailers are sent, that could cost $140,000 in postage.

Republicans oppose the idea. They say it's illegal to send out partisan mailers on taxpayer expense.

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), July 13, 2001