Positive on Merger

There has been so much in the papers concerning the proposed merger of San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison that I feel compelled as a citizen, a major user and a fairly heavy stockholder to comment.

Most of the stories seem to center on the need for local control, but no one mentions that control of rates is in the hands of the Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco and control of energy sources is in the hands of the state Energy Commission in Sacramento, and of, course, ownership is in the form of stock spread all over the country from the New York Stock Exchange.

As both a user and stockholder, I know from experience with many energy companies around the country that the SCE merger would be beneficial to us and, consequently, would like to urge a more positive approach to it from the media and local politicians.

MICHAEL KIRBY

San Diego