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Public Utility Commission warns FY27 reserves will be drawn down as utility-fee revenue lags
Summary
At a Feb. 11 House Appropriations hearing, Public Utility Commission leaders told lawmakers their FY27 budget relies heavily on a gross receipts tax and reserves, which could be depleted in about three years unless revenues rise or services are cut. They urged reconsidering application fees and statutory funding assignments.
The Public Utility Commission told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 11 that its proposed FY27 budget of roughly $5.3 million will rely on reserves to cover a shortfall because the agency receives no general-fund support.
"It's important to recognize, we get 0 general funds," said Ed McNamara, chair of the Public Utility Commission, describing the commission as ‘‘100 percent special funded’’ and saying "96% of our funding comes from the gross receipts tax" paid by regulated utilities. He said application fees make up the remaining roughly 4 percent.
The PUC said salaries and benefits make up more than 87 percent of its budget and that projected revenues will not fully cover FY27 spending, so reserves — currently about $3.5 million — will be tapped. McNamara said the commission projects about a $900,000…
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