Hi, I’m Dave Habr.
Welcome to my web site. I’d like to tell you about my regulatory experience and philosophy. I began my regulatory career in 1981 when I joined the staff of the Iowa State Commerce Commission (now the Iowa Utilities Board). I was very excited to get the position because it allowed me to practice economics in an environment that clearly contributed to the social welfare. It also provided the professional freedom to pursue a socially responsible path concerning utilities and their customers.
Given the case load in the early 1980s and the stature of company witnesses (e.g., Duke and Stanford finance professors), I had to progress quickly and thoroughly. By the end of 1986, I had testified in 13 cases. In 1987 the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) was given the authority to hire a six person technical staff and I was chosen to organize and lead that staff as well as to continue to actively participate in cases.
In order to be able to more efficiently handle its case load, the OCA was given the authority to expand its technical staff to 17 in the spring of 1989. I was chosen to organize and lead the expanded staff which I did until December 31, 2008 when I retired from the OCA and formed my own consulting firm, Habr Economics. During my time with the OCA I filed testimony in 53 additional proceedings most of which went to hearing.
I believe that the core purpose of utility regulation is to provide customers with price and quality outcomes similar to what could be expected in an unencumbered, competitive market place. I also believe that the highest goal for any expert witness is finding the truth, and that clients who hire the expert are best served by the correct measurement of the key elements used to determine the reasonable cost of providing service to rate payers.
