The privilege tax authorized by ORS § 221.515, or other similar exactions imposed by any municipality in this state upon telecommunications utilities for use and occupancy of streets, alleys or highways, or all of them, shall be allowed as an operating expense of the affected telecommunications utilities operating in the municipality for rate-making purposes by the Public Utility Commission. The cost of such privilege tax or other similar exactions shall be charged pro rata to the users of such telecommunications utility within the municipality unless the Public Utility Commission determines on a statewide basis that such pro rata charges would be inequitable, in whole or in part, to city ratepayers or should otherwise be borne as a statewide operating expense by the telecommunications utility. [Formerly 759.105]