Okla. USF Factor Could Double Without Revamp

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission set a USF hearing later this month on the fund administrator’s Tuesday motion to double the contribution factor on an interim basis. The hearing is June 24 at 8:30 a.m. CDT, said a Tuesday notice in docket OSF 201900036. Oklahoma USF Administrator Brandy Wreath’s motion seeks to increase the revenue-based factor to 12.73% from 6.28% after commissioners punted on a plan to change the contribution method to connections-based contribution (see 2105110045). Wreath supports “the idea that a connections based methodology, in addition to eliminating the problems resulting from the continued decline in assessable revenue, will be a more reasonable and fair way to collect assessments for OUSF,” per his testimony. The OCC will “continue efforts to reach a final order” in the contribution overhaul docket (OSF 201900316), and staff will withdraw the interim request if the commission agrees to a per-line method, said Wreath.