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Which telecom companies are pulling the strings in your state government? Find out which telecommunications companies are spending the most on lobbying and campaign contributions. Learn about your public utility boards, where they are located and how to file a complaint. Also, view the personal financial disclosure statements of board members and learn how much they earn.

Mississippi Public Service Commission
Woolfolk Building
501 N. West Street
Jackson, MS 39201
(800) 356-6429
http://www.psc.state.ms.us/

How to file a complaint
Online

Jurisdiction: telecommunications, electric, gas, water and sewer utilities; safety jurisdiction over gas pipelines
Funding: assessment on utilities' gross revenues
Commissioners: 3
  Elected by: district
  Term: 4 years
  Annual Salary: $78,000
Chairperson: Rotates
  Term: 2 years
  Annual Salary: $78,000
Commissioners

Bo Robinson
Term: 1989-2007
Financial Disclosure:  2003  2004  2005 

Nielsen Cochran
Term: 1983-2007
Financial Disclosure:  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 

Michael Callahan
Term: 1999-2007
Financial Disclosure:  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 

Mississippi Receives F for Disclosure of Utility Commissioner Outside Ties
Mississippi ranked 29th in the nation for making basic information on state legislators' income, assets and potential conflicts of interest available to the public. Mississippi received 55.5 out of a possible 100 points.
See Report Card

Mississippi Conflict-of-Interest Provision: "The commissioners shall not operate, own any stock in, or be in the employment of any common or contract carrier by motor vehicle, telephone company, gas or electric utility company, or any other public utility that shall come under their jurisdiction or supervision." (Mississippi Code § 77-1-1)

Telecommunications Industry

State Campaign Donations

Telecommunications industry donations, including legislative and statewide, throughout three election cycles, 1999-2000, 2001-2002 and 2003-2004. Click on total to see how this state stacks up:
Cycle Amount
2003-2004 $237,425
2001-2002 $13,700
1999-2000 $203,402
Total $454,527

Telecommunications interests donating $10,000 or more to state races, including legislative and statewide, throughout six years, from 1999 to 2004:
Name Total
BellSouth Corp. $217,027
National Cable and Telecom. Assn. and state orgs. $15,900
AT&T Corp. $15,900

Source: Institute on Money in State Politics, with analysis by Center for Public Integrity
State Lobby Spending

Spending total includes only compensation/salary, which are compiled by the agency.

State-level lobbying by telecommunications companies in 2003 and 2004. Click on the total to see how the states stack up:
Year Amount
2003 $201,420
2004 $203,209
Total $404,628

Major telecommunications interests lobbying government in this state in 2003 and 2004:
Name Total
BellSouth Corp. $208,603
Cingular Wireless $84,000
National Cable and Telecom. Assn. and state orgs $54,961
Sprint Corp. $33,707
MCI (formerly WorldCom Inc.) $13,357
ALLTEL Corp. $10,000

Source: Source: Center for Public Integrity analysis of state records