Crist cleans house at utility reg panel
by Dara Kam | October 1st, 2009Gov. Charlie Crist appointed two new utility regulators to the Public Service Commission, snubbing current Chairman Matthew Carter and Commissioner Katrina McMurrian.
Crist tapped former newspaperman David Klement and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office CFO Benjamin “Steve” Stevens and shaking up the status quo at the regulatory panel mired in controversy in the process of deciding on a proposed $1.3 billion Florida Power & Light Co. rate hike.
The ouster of McMurrian and Carter makes it likely that renegade Commissioner Nancy Argenziano, an outspoken critic of the PSC who accuses regulators of being too close to the utilities they oversee, will take over as chairwoman of the panel next year.
Crist put Argenziano, a former state senator, on the board two years ago to represent consumers and his picks today of two new commissioners who have no ties to utilities mark a decided shift from a PSC that has up until now been viewed as utility-friendly.
Tags: Add new tag, Charlie Crist, David Klement, Florida Power & Light, FPL, Katrina McMurrian, Matthew Carter, Nancy Argenziano, PSC, Public Service Commission, Steve Stevens, utilities
Where's the money? Use The Post's interactive database of who wants and who's getting federal dollars.
Use these interactive graphics to find and contact Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast legislators.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
About damn time!
October 1st, 2009 at 1:00 pm
And Crist succombs to the pressure once again. What a weakling.
Argenziano is a renegade alright. Being in business with a slimy political consultant who lobbies for utility companies sure puts her in that category.
October 1st, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Thank you Governor Christ. I just hope this works and we The citizens of florida will see some real honest results. I just wish you could come to West palm Beach and shake things up here and end the corruption here. Keep up the good work governor and i hope you keep cleaning house, especially in south florida, we the citizens need some real help down here.
October 1st, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Nacy’s business partner Pennington now lobbies for the Florida Municpal Electric Association.
For a long list of municpal electric and gas utlities regulated by the PSC on their website go to:
http://bit.ly/18jT0c
October 1st, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Crist made a dramatic move that will change the PSC for the best. But more needs to be done. The lame duck commissioners need to step aside and let the new people vote on the rate cases. They can’t be allowed to vote to give billions to possible future employers. Stop the FPL and Progress rate cases right now until Argenziano has a chance to clean up the PSC.
October 1st, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Hopefully great!
October 1st, 2009 at 2:47 pm
great. two more white guys. how about a little diversity? plus do they really have the experience to do the job?
October 5th, 2009 at 10:50 am
[...] Gov. Charlie Crist last week passed over McMurrian, who worked for the panel for almost a decade prior to her appointment four years ago, for reappointment. He also snubbed PSC Chairman Matthew Carter. [...]