Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A. On or before the
date a district files its proposed rates with the commission the district shall
notify in writing its taxpayer-electors of the proposed rates. The notice may
be mailed to the taxpayer-electors with their billings or
independently.
B. The notice to
taxpayer-electors shall include the following information:
(1) the amount of the increase requested in
both dollar amounts and percentage increase;
(2) the customer classifications to which the
new rates apply;
(3) the present
rates, the proposed rates, the percentage difference between the present and
proposed rates for each customer class, the number of customers in each class
to which the proposed rates would apply, and, for residential customers, the
present rates, the proposed rates and the percentage difference between the
present bill and the anticipated bill for each of the following levels of
consumption--0 gallons, 2,000 gallons, 3,000 gallons, 4,000 gallons, 5,000
gallons, 6,000 gallons, 7,000 gallons, 8,000 gallons, 9,000 gallons, 10,000
gallons, 15,000 gallons, 20,000 gallons, 25,000 gallons, and 30,000 gallons,
and the highest level of consumption of any residential ratepayer using in
excess of 30,000 gallons in any billing period in the twelve (12) months prior
to preparation of this notice by the utility;
(4) the date on which the district is filing
the schedule proposing the new rates;
(5) a statement that the new rates will be
subject to review and approval by the New Mexico public regulation commission
only if a protest is filed with the commission by twenty-five (25) of the
district's taxpayer-electors or five percent (5%) of the district's
taxpayer-electors, whichever is less, no later than thirty (30) days after the
district has filed with the commission the schedule proposing the new rates,
together with a statement of the total number of taxpayer-electors in the
district and the number of those required to meet the requirements for a valid
protest and a statement in all capital letters that if a hearing is held by the
public regulation commission any costs incurred by the district may be included
in the district's future rates, following the district's next rate
case;
(6) a statement that
procedures for protesting proposed rates are set forth in 17.12.810 NMAC, a
copy of which can be obtained upon request from or inspected at the main office
of the district or the offices of the commission in Santa Fe, and that forms
for protests are available from either the district or the commission, and
indicating the telephone numbers and addresses of both the district and the
commission;
(7) a statement that
any interested person may examine the rate filings, together with any exhibits
and related papers that may be filed, at the main office of the district or at
the offices of the commission in Santa Fe; and
(8) a statement that further information may
be obtained by contacting either the district or the commission.
C. The district shall submit a
copy of the form of notice to the commission for approval at least fifteen (15)
days prior to giving notice to the taxpayer-electors pursuant to Subsection A
above. If the commission does not disapprove the form of notice within five (5)
working days of submission of the notice the form will be deemed
approved.
D. Failure to comply with
this section shall be deemed grounds for rejection of the filing under
17.12.810.9 NMAC proposing new rates.
