Who has the power to grant franchises to public service corporations to operate within towns and cities?

• A. The properly constituted authority of the town and the city.
• B. The Governor.
• C. The Legislature.
• D. The State Board of Control.

Answer: (A)

Granting a franchise to a public service company to operate inside a town or city is a local regulatory duty. The municipality has the authority to control streets, rights-of-way, and the public welfare within its borders, so its governing body—the properly constituted city or town authority—issues and terms such franchises. This power stems from the city’s charter and its police powers, allowing it to license and regulate utilities serving residents.

State-level actors—the Governor, the Legislature, or the State Board of Control—handle statewide matters and state agencies, not the specific local franchises tied to a municipality’s streets and local services.