PacBell Price Increase Hearing Tonight

State regulators will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. today in Pasadena to discuss several price increases proposed by Pacific Bell, the state’s largest phone company. The California Public Utilities Commission is considering a request by PacBell to raise local directory assistance charges from 25 cents to 50 cents per call, with permission to raise it as high as $1.10 per call. The company is also seeking approval to cut the number of free directory assistance calls residents get each month from five to three. News of the proposals have spurred a record number of complaints from consumers. PacBell also is seeking a price increase for two other services: busy line verification (an increase from 50 cents to $2 per use) and emergency interrupt (a jump from $1 to $4 per use). The hearing will be at the Pasadena City Council chambers, 100 N. Garfield Ave., Room 247.