In Fresno, CA. Attend Hearing to Oppose PG&E's Prop 16: 5/26 2pm and 7pm

[annm4peace]

Please attend this hearing with a sign opposing PG&E's Prop 16:

Wednesday, May 26, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Hugh M. Burns State Building - Auditorium, 2550 Mariposa Mall,

1st Floor - Room 1036, Fresno, CA 93721.


The hearing is on PG&E's proposed rate hikes, but rate hikes have
everything to do with Prop 16, which is PG&E's attempt to solidify its
monopoly over you, the ratepayer. There are only three endorsers and
financial contributors to the Prop 16 campaign: PG&E ($35 million),
the California Chamber of Commerce ($91,000), and the California
Republican Party ($?).

[Chip_Ashley]

1. Thank you

Thanks for posting this, annm. I attended the hearings with about 60 others. A PG&E exec made ingratiating remarks, and reps from non-profits who get donations from PG&E said sweet things about how wonderful PG&E is, but little about rate-setting. An equal number were critical of PG&E and asked whether it is ethical for PG&E to be contributing profits made from captive ratepayers to charities.

The following example is representative of how PG&E treats rate-hikes. In 2007 PG&E got a rate-hike of $94,000,000 to replace 15,000 utility poles ($6300 per pole). They spent only $29,000,000 replacing 3200 poles ($9100 per pole). Where did the remaining $65,000,000 go? Probably to charities to make themselves look good and into efforts like Prop 16 to fight community choice aggregation.