FAQs*
*They should be frequently asked, but they aren’t currently.
What the heck is the PSC?
Public Service Commission. In other states it’s usually called the Public Utilities Commission. Yep, you’ve never heard of it. Which is a shame because it’s a commission that literally affects every Montanan every day. You know that electric bill? The PSC can change that. Had issues getting a taxi? They do that, too. What about trains blocking traffic at 5 P.M.? Well, guess what. The PSC has the ability to improve things for all Montanans in many, many ways. It’s literally one of the most important offices in the state, and you’ve never heard of it because the Thursday it was mentioned in 11th grade, we all took naps.
How is the PSC chosen?
Given that sunken aquatic maidens handing out swords is terribly outdated, the PSC is voted for by the people. Each commissioner serves 4 years per term, and can only serve on the commission for two terms before they are limited by our Term Limit Laws™. There are five districts in the state, and you can see the lovely map of the districts right here:
As you can see, District 5 is comprised of State House Districts 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 76, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 91, 92, 99 - and that means it’s parts of over 12 counties. However, you can easily find which House District is yours by being ready to VOTE!
Click for an interactive map of the PSC Districts.
Kind of a weird way to divvy up the state, isn’t it?
Oh yes. The old one was done in 2010, and the court tried to maintain as much of it as possible to even out the populations. Then the legislature got involved and well, now the populations are equal but it’s divided up the major cities and made it really gerrymandered in a weird way. But oh well, we’ll get through it.
So, for which district are you running ?
District 5. May the odds be ever in my favor. (Sidenote: pretty sure my high school English teachers would be waggling eyebrows over the grammar of that question.)
Are all the districts up for election?
Given the current office holders, that would be nice, but given that you normally want to have some institutional knowledge carry over each election, only two districts are up this next cycle – 1 and 5 are up for election.
All well and good, Kev, but what does the PSC do?
Currently? Nap. (Not kidding, again, sadly.) What they should be doing is correcting regulatory issues on “private, investor-owned natural gas, electric, telephone, water and private sewer companies doing business in Montana. In addition, the PSC regulates certain kinds of motor carriers, including garbage trucks and passenger motor carriers. The PSC also oversees rail and pipeline safety regulations in the state.” The commission also covers other things like taxis, trains, and garbage and waste companies, in certain circumstances.
What about phone, internet, and cable?
Mostly. No. And no.
But that’s not to say they shouldn’t, it’s just that they don’t and the commission has had overwhelming anti-government commissioners for decades, which is part of the problem. It’s also very weird, because, and I cannot stress this enough, the entire job of the PSC is to regulate things, and the fundamentalists hate regulations, no matter how smart and needed they are. This is yet one more reason why you should vote for me.
Could the PSC stop BNSF from blocking Montana Avenue in Helena at 5pm if it wanted to?
Yes.
If I vote for you, Kevin Hamm, what are you going to do to improve the PSC?
Show up. Read the actual cases and case law, and rule in the best interest of All Montanans, and not let the dog-whistling phonies continue to destroy this beautiful state with their anti-good-government agenda.
Isn’t it a bit late to be launching the campaign?
Are you saying you want more politics in your life right now? No. Sadly, we do need to run to win, and the PSC has been anti-people for 10+ years and it’s ugly. From in-fighting to commissioners spying on each other to the executive director having to step down because of the drama, there’s just too much at stake. I make some jokes and have a good time in my life, and in my writing, but the job is no joke. It’s time for some change at the PSC. It’d be so refreshing!
Sara asks…
“Could you please tell us more about you, your career path, and your qualifications & knowledge relating to the position? How does your experience & history provide you with the qualifications to get the PSC back on track & implement your laudable goals? Thanks!”
Yep! And I’ve put it up right here, on a page called “About Kevin”.
I have another question!
That feels like a statement, but I’d be glad to answer it. Submit it below.