The appointees, Eduardo Balbis, the West Palm Beach assistant city manager, and Julie I. Brown, a former Tampa assistant city attorney, would replace the governor's previous appointees Nancy Argenziano and Nathan Skop, who were rejected for reappointment by the legislatively controlled nominating council.
Crist chose from a list of six candidates sent to him, rejecting the former executive director of the PSC Mary Bane, Republican state Sen. Lee Constantine, former Progress Energy engineer James S. Baumstark and former Missouri Public Service Commissioner Connie Murray. Balbis and Brown must now be confirmed by the Florida Senate.
The governor told the Herald/Times that he chose the two candidates that ``really have compassion, the appropriate intellect, and an understanding that with the economy we're in this is not the time to be raising rates on people.''
``I'm hopeful they will want to do what's right for promoting alternative energy, solar and wind power and try and protect our state and our state's environment,'' he said.
The decision comes on the last day Crist was allowed by law to announce his picks. If he had failed to act, the nominating council would have been allowed to select the candidates. Several people urged Crist to not make the selection and file a lawsuit challenging the nominating council's ability to make the pick.
Instead, Crist, who is running for U.S. Senate as an independent, chose two Republicans who haven't worked with utility companies but bring regional and political diversity.
Brown, 35, in-house counsel for First American Corp., a title insurance underwriter, said she is eager to restore confidence in the PSC and be an advocate for Florida residents.
``The commission has to balance a lot of interests,'' she said. ``But most important is to look out for consumers and make sure they're getting fair and reliable services.''
Brown formerly worked as a Tampa assistant city attorney. She helped negotiate the city's franchise agreement with Tampa Electric Co. She now serves on the city's Architectural Review Commission.
This is the third time Brown has applied to the PSC; first time as a finalist. She is a graduate of the University of Florida, where she earned a bachelor's degree in public relations and a law degree.
Balbis, 38, is chairman of East Central Regional Water Reclamation Facility Board and a Crist appointee to the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. He earned a graduate degree in environmental engineering from the University of Florida. He previously worked as an associate with Boyle Engineering from 2000 to 2006 and president of Circle Engineering from 1999 to 2000.
The nominating council rejected Argenziano and Skop in June when they refused to invite them for interviews for reappointment to their term, which expires in January. They, along with the rest of the five-member PSC, unanimously rejected a $1.3 billion rate increase for Florida Power & Light and a $500 million rate increase for Progress Energy.
Also voting against the rate increase were Benjamin ``Steve'' Stevens and David Klement, whom the governor appointed to the commission last fall after saying it was time to ``clean house'' amid revelations that some PSC staff were too close to the utilities they regulate.
After the vote, the Senate refused to confirm the appointment of Stevens and Klement, forcing Crist to choose from a new slate. He chose former state Rep. Ron Brisé and former Jacksonville Councilman Art Graham.
``That was a great disappointment to me and to the consumers of Florida,'' Crist said. ``It pains me they got caught up on the political gamesmanship of our state.''
St. Petersburg Times staff writer Janet Zink contributed to this report. Mary Ellen Klas can be reached at meklas@MiamiHerald.com
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