Electric Ratepayers Protection Project founder, Kay Drey, donated the papers of the ERPP to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-St. Louis at the University of Missouri on
November 19, 1984.
The Electric Ratepayers Protection Project, a coalition of civil rights groups, religious
organizations, social service agencies, anti-nuclear power activists, and environmentalists,
began in 1982 as a response to Union Electric's proposed rate increase. In 1984, Union
Electric requested a 70% increase over a period of five years to pay for its nuclear power
plant in Callaway County.
ERPP began a petition drive to place a voter-initiated proposition, called Proposition B, on the November 1984 ballot which would protect consumers from unfair rate hikes. The Missouri Public Service Commission had been given authority in 1984 by the Missouri General Assembly to phase in the rates over a period of years, but it refused to set a cap on rates as sought by Proposition B.
Efforts to educate electricity consumers about Proposition B included public speeches, radio, television, and newspaper ads, and public service announcements. The petition drive, reached a peak on June 23, 1984 with "Super Market Saturday," an effort to collect signatures at grocery stores throughout the state. On July 5, 1984, over 84,000 signatures, more than twice the required number, were turned in to the Secretary of State in Jefferson City.
State Representatives Wayne Goode, Karen Benson, Jim Riley, and Jerry Cox sponsored House Bill #1169 to prevent electric companies from, 1) increasing rates more than 6% a year; 2) charging customers for nuclear power plants' electricity costs until a waste disposal site was built; and 3) charging customers for construction cost-overruns caused by mismanagement, accidents, and production of unneeded power. The proposed law would have ensured fair division of net-after-tax losses between ratepayers and company investors in the event of plant cancellation. Finally, the law would have prevented Union Electric from transferring its assets to a holding company without permission of the Missouri Public Service Commission. After a long court battle' Proposition B was placed on the ballot on October 24, 1984 by the Missouri Supreme Court. The court battle involved Union Electric's, claim that not enough Legal voters had signed the ERPP petitions and that the proposed law was vague. Attorneys for the ERPP, Lewis C. Green and Rusty Green, argued that the initiative title adequately expressed the initiative's content, and a petition recount proved that the required amount of signatures and been collected.
ERPP raised $100,000 in the campaign to pass Proposition B. Contributions came from business, industry, labor, religious groups, and other organizations. A coalition of civic and business leaders, "Missourians Against Irresponsible Government," formed by Union Electric and other utilities, spent approximately 3 million dollars on the campaign against the proposition. The "No on B" campaign committee claimed Proposition B would force the shutdown of Callaway, prevent Missourians from receiving electricity from Kansas City Power and Lighting's Wolf Creek plant, and force ratepayers to pay for Callaway and Wolf Creek without receiving any electricity from them.
Proposition B was defeated by Missouri voters on November 6, 1984, by a 70% "no" to a 30% "yes" vote. Bob Jordan, a spokesman for the "No on B" campaign committee considered the defeat a mandate for Callaway. Although the ERPP disbanded after the November defeat of Proposition B, its founder, Kay Drey, continued to be active in anti-nuclear activities.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Electric Ratepayers Protection Project records document the campaign to place
Proposition B on the ballot. The collection is arranged alphabetically according to Kay Drey's system (e..g. "Brochures" follows "Bollinger, Don"). A series of tapes of radio announcements is included. The collection contains ERPP meeting minutes, press releases, fact sheets about
Proposition B, legal documents, memoranda, notes, endorsements, correspondence, and
newsclippings.
The Proposition B petition drive material includes radio, tv, and newspaper ads, flyers, bumper stickers, photos of road signs and the announcement of the petition drive, a copy of the first fully signed petition, instructions to petitioners, places to petition., press releases, and announcements of "Super Market Saturday." Documents of the court battle over the legality of Proposition B can be found in folders 31, 37, 38, 55, 69, 70.
The collection contains some material concerning the impact of rate shock (rate increase) on various sectors of society, as well as information on Callaway Power Plant performance and malfunctions (dating from 1972 in f. 78 Box 4)
The records also document the "No on B" campaign, and the controversy over the wording of Proposition B ballot title composed by Attorney General John Ashcroft.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
The collection is arranged alphabetically according Kay Drey's system (e.g. "Brochures"
follows "Bollinger-, Don"). A series of tapes (762-767) of radio announcements is included:
T-762 Ratepayers Protection Project, YES on Proposition B, generic 30 second spot,
(females voice)
T-763 YES on Proposition B, So second spot (female voice)
T-764 YES on Proposition B, Union Electric, 30 second spot
T-765 YES or) Proposition B, Union Electric, 60 second spot
T-766 YES on Proposition B, Kansas City Power and Light, 30 second spot
T-767 YES on Proposition B, Kansas City Power and Light, 60 second spot
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1 (100664)
FOLDERS 1-79
1. Advertising, Newspaper, Radio, TV, Public Service Announcements, May - November 1984
2. Amendment 2, one-tenth cent Sales Tax for State Park Conservation, March - December 1984
3. Ballot Title, Wording of Proposition B, November 1978 - October 1984
3. Bollinger, Don: Notes on Callaway Power Costs and Demands, May 1983 - September 1984
5. Brochure Layout, "Vote Yes on Proposition B," November 1984
6. Bumper Stickers, "Cancel Callaway," "Yes on B," "Yes on 2,11 "Yes on 11,11 includes two oversize posters
7. Callaway, Notes on Structural Deficiencies, Correspondence, Kay Drey to Laurence Tribe and NRC, Re: Safety Standards, December 1978-October 1984
8. Cancellation Costs, Nuclear Plants, Notes on Plants Cancelled, December 1983 September 1984
9. Citizens/Labor Energy Commission, Correspondence, Endorsement for Proposition B, Evaluation of House Bill #1169 by Roger Colton, Attorney, November 1983 - January 1984
10. Columbia, Missouri Energy Foundation Correspondence; Proposition B Support, April - May 1984
11. Construction Work in Progress, Callaway Nuclear Plant, October 1976 - February 1984
12. Dehart, Dean: Memoranda, February - December 1983
13. Electric Rate Charts Comparing St. Louis to other Cities, November 1972 - 1984
14. ERPP House Bill #1169 Drafts, September-December 1984
15. ERPP House Bill #1169 Drafts, February - March 1984
16. ERPP House Bill #1169 Drafts, Final, December-January 1984
17. ERPP Meeting Notes, May - August 1984
18. ERPP Minutes, May - August 1984
19. ERPP Short Summaries of Proposition B, December 1984
20. Endorsements, Business, Correspondence and Memoranda, August - September 1984
21. Endorsements, Candidates (incumbents), December 1983 - October 1984
22. Endorsements, Candidates (non-incumbents), May 1963 -1984
23. Endorsements, Farmers (notes of names), August -October 1984
24. Endorsement Forms, September - October 1984
25. Endorsements, Labor, Correspondence and Memoranda, 3x5 cards of Union Endorsers, May - October 1984
26. Endorsements, Organizations, Correspondence, Memoranda and Newsclippings, March - October 1984
27. Endorsements, Organizations, Correspondence, Memoranda, and 3x5 cards of Endorsers, October 1984
28. Endorsements, Organizations (pending), Correspondence and Memoranda, May - July 1984
29. Endorsements, Politicians, Correspondence and Memoranda, September - October 1984
30. Endorsements, Religions, Correspondence, Memoranda, Newsclippings, one letter of non endorsement, February - November 1984
31. Facts, Constitutionality of HB #1169, Correspondence, February - May 1984
32. Fiscal Note, Request for Initiative Petition Respecting Electrical Corporations, Correspondence, Memoranda, and Summary, August - September 1984
33. Fundraising: General Information, Letters, Instructions, Solicitations, August - October 1984
34. Fundraising: Names and Committees, July - September 1984
35. Flyers, Literature, Stamps, April - November 1984
36. Gottlieb, David, May - October 1984
37. Green, Lew: Notes, February 1983 - November 1984
38. Green, Lew: Legal Documents on Legality of Proposition B, September 1984 - October 1984
39. Haim, Mark: Notes and Memoranda, May 1983 -September 1984
40. Harding, Jim (Friends of the Earth): Correspondence Notes, July - October 1983
41. Harris, David: Memoranda, Preliminary Cost Analysis of Callaway, October 1982 - November 1983
42. Hermes, Peggy: Correspondence and Memoranda, November 1983
43. Kansas City Activists, May 1983 - May 1984
44. Libraries, Correspondence, List of Contacts, St. Louis, October 1984
45. Literature, Proposition B, Lists of Persons Requesting, September - November 1984
46. Logging Instructions for Petitioners, March-November 1984
47. Major Mailings, Lists of Names, Form Letters, April - June 1984
48. Martin, Pat: Correspondence and Memoranda, Outline for Proposition B, presentation to editorial departments, 1983 - August 1984
49. Media, Correspondence from Kay Drey to various editors, May - October 1984
50. Media, Letters to Editor, August - November 1984
51. Media Needs, December 1983 - October 1984
52. Missouri Legislation, House Bill *1169, lists of sponsors and co-signers, December 1983 - April 1984
53. Missouri Legislators, Correspondence and Memoranda, December 1983 - January 1984
54. Missouri Legislature, Brady's Amendment, House Bill #1477, Re: Powers and Functions of PSC, March 1984
55. Missouri Public Service Commission: Correspondence on Callaway Plant Malfunctions, Newsclippings, Utility Rate Regulation, Hearing on UE's intention to raise rates, July 1984
56. Missouri, Report of Public Counsel, July 1980 - June 1982
57. Newsclippings, 1983 - 1984
58. News Releases, Proposition B Campaign, December 1983 - July 1984
59. News Releases, Proposition B Campaign, September - November 1984
60. Nogee, Alan: Environmental Action Foundation, Correspondence and Notes, May - October 1984
61. "No on B" Ads, September - November 1984
62. "No on B" Committees and letters to shareholders, August - October 1984
63. Office Budget - printing, supplies, typewriter, rental rates, 1983 and 1984
64. Outstate Contacts, May 1983
65. Originals, ERPP Ads, form letters, January - November 1984
66. Personnel, Ads, Applications, Contracts, June - August 1984
67. Petitioners, list of names and number of petitioners, expenses, April - June 1984
68. Petitioners, Orientation materials, June 1982 - October 1984
69. Petitions, copy of first petition and correspondence, June - October 1984
70. Petitions, Lawsuit recount, June - September 1984
71. Petitions, locations to petition at grocery stores, April - June 1984
72. Petitions, locations to petition at special events: Ads, Memoranda and Newsclippings, April - June 1984
73. Petitions, Official receipt form, July 5, 1984
74. Petitions, Permission, April - October 1984
75. Petitions, "Yes to Stop Callaway Committee" Petitions, Brochure and Memoranda, 1983 - May 1984
76. Phone Canvassing, Instructions and Scripts, May - June 1984
77. Photographs 200.1-200.20 78. Plant Cancellation, Memoranda on last six operating plants ordered in U.S., Notes and Correspondence, 1993 - 1984
79. Press Conference, Completion of petition drive and rate shock studies, July - December 1984
Box 2 (100665)
folders 80-92
80. Rate Shock Impact, Employment, Testimony of Robert Klepper (ERPP) Before the House Consumer Protection Committee, Energy Use Survey, December 1983 - January 1984
81. Rate Shock, Low Income, Articles, Correspondence and Memoranda, April - September 1984
82. Rate Shock Impact, Project Energy Care Questionnaires to St. Louis agencies on electricity budgets, 1981 - 1984
83. Sheehan, Michael: Correspondence from Kay Drey, January - April 1984
84. Speakers' Bureau, list of speakers, April - October 1984
85. Speakers' Bureau, request for speakers, September - October 1984
86. Speakers' Bureau, Speeches and suggested questions, October - November 1984
87. Topics: Research and Speech, October - December 1983
88. Volunteers, Correspondence, Memoranda, Notes and list of supporters, January - November 1984
89. Volunteers, Senior Citizens, January - November 1984
90. Volunteers, Somner, Ray: Correspondence to Missouri Public Service Commission re: rate increases by Union Electric, September 3-18, 1984
91. Wolf Creek, Update, May - March 1984
92. Xerox Masters of Proposition B Campaign Literature, April - July 1984
Tapes 762-767
OVERSIZE: Poster: Petition Drive, Reform Electric Rates; Yes on B
INDEX
Ashcroft, John, f. 3, 58, 90
Bollinger, Don, f. 4, 37
Callaway County Nuclear Plant, f. 1-92
Citizens' Committee for Soil, Water, and State Parks, f. 2
Citizens/Labor Energy Commission, f. 9, 12
Construction Work in Progress, f. 4, 8, 11, 41
Cryts, Wayne, f. 23
De-regulation, f. 36
Drey, Kay, f. 1-92
Electric Rate Payers' Project, f. 1-92
Environment, f. 1-92
Environmental Action Foundation, f. 60
Environmental Organizations, f. 1-92
Fairness Doctrine (Media), f. I
Friends of the Earth, f. 40
Goode, Wayne, f. 31, 52-54
Kansas City Power and Lighting, f. 91
Missouri Energy Foundation, f. 10, 12
Missouri Public Service Commission, f. 1-92
Missourians for Honest Elections, f. 58, 61, 62
Nuclear Energy, f. 1-92
Nuclear Plant Malfunctions, f. 4, 7, 8, 55
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, f. 7, 8
Proposition B (1983-1984), f. 1-92
Proposition One (1976), f. 19
Riley, Jim, f. 52-54
Rate Shock, f. 80-82
Union Electric, f. 1-92
Utilities, f. 1-92
Wolf Creek, f. 91
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
8001 NATURAL BRIDGE ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
whmc@umsl.edu