Former Speaker: Lobbyists responsible for rising utility costs

One utility company after another has received permission from the Public Service Commission for whopping utility rate hikes and you can blame lobbyists for that, according to former Speaker of the House Steve Gaw.
Gaw recently left the Public Service Commission:

Gaw has told the Consumer Council of Missouri that even the good lawmakers in Jefferson City have little understanding of the arcane issues of utility regulation. He says that grants more power to the lobbyists he says have been successful in pushing through legislation making it easier for utilities to raise rates. And Gaw adds that a shift in attitude has led the PSC to more freely grant rate hikes than in the past.