Seven out of every ten Illinois residents would like to see Illinois Commerce Commission members elected by the public rather than appointed by Gov. James Thompson, according to a survey conducted by the Citizens Utility Board.

CUB and the Illinois Public Action Council, the two largest consumer groups in the state, are asking municipal and county governments throughout Illinois to support a move to have the state’s utility regulators elected. CUB spokesperson Pat Clark said ICC members always have been appointed by the governor. Eleven other states elect their utility regulators.

The two consumer groups sent letters to more than 100 county boards and 1,000 city mayors across Illinois urging them to support a resolution calling for an elected commision. CUB and IPAC also will be pushing legislation to implement the change during the spring session of the Illinois General Assembly.

Both groups say that electing the utility regulators would make the ICC more accountable to the public and would eventually help lower Illinois’ excessive utility rates. Illinois residents pay some of the highest utility costs in the nation, Clark said.

“High utility rates hurt every consumer and business in every town in this state. Passage of these resolutions by local governments would send an important message to our lawmakers in Springfield,” said CUB president Josh Hoyt.

Survey respondents also suggested the ICC would do a better job of protecting the interests of the public if elected, and would be more fair in its decisions, said Clark.

CUB and IPAC charge that the current ICC caters to the requests and needs of the utility companies, violates state utility laws and does not consider the needs of consumers, Clark said.

There currently is a court battle over the ICC’s approval of a Commonwealth Edison rate increase that was requested to help the utility company raise funds for “two unneeded power plants,” she said. The commission’s move was illegal because it did not follow the proper channels for such an action, she said.

The ICC has illegally approved rate increases on several occasions, Clark said. Two Commonwealth Edison rate increases previously have been overturned in court. “They are not operating within the law, and the courts agree,” she said.