HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-02-01; City Council; 7285; Request for Legislation('t)
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AB# 7.lPJ-
MTG. 2/1/83
DEPT.,_c_c __
IlII..E;
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
REQUEST FOR LEGISLATION
DEPT. HD . .9W
CITY ATTY ¥JI;_
:;;,,~ CITY MGR. __
No specific action is reconunended, but a Resolution is attached
should Council desire to take action on the request.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
The City of San Marcos adopted a resolution requesting State Legislato~s
to enact legislation which would require the election of members of
the State of California Public Utilities Commission. It also requests
that the State be broken down into districts and would require that
a nember from each district be elected to serve on the Commission.
The City of San ttarcos is requesting all other cities within the
jurisdiction of San Diego Gas and Electric to adopt a similar
resolution.
A resolution has been prepared which is patterned after the resolution
adopted by the City of. San Marcos. It is presented for Council
consideration.
EXHIBITS:
1. Letter dated January 17, 1983, from the City of San Marcos
and attached resolution. -2. Resolution No. 7 1..3~ .
ADDITIONAL EXHIBITS:
3. Memorandum dated February 4, 1983 from ACM/Administration and copy of lette::-
dated January 26, 1983 from Assemblyman Peter Chacon.
4. Copy of Channel 39 Editorial entitled "Elect the PUC?".
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CITY COUNCIL
Lionel G. Burton, Mayor
James D. Sl.nmons, Vice Mayor
Pia Harris
Lee B. ,Thibadeau
F.H. Smith
AD Ml NIST RATION
714•744·4020
~--!_~~~ She11a A.~'ife"<l',, ..... rcM~
Richard 0. Ring, ,City Attorney
105 W. RICHMAR AVENUE • SAN MARCOS, CALIFORNIA 92069
January 17r 1983
TO MAYORS AND COUNCILMEMBERS OF
ALL CITIES AND COMMUNITIES IN THE
JORISDICT:ON OF SAN DIEGO GAS AND
ELECTtIC COMPANY:
Enclosed is a certified copy of Resolution No.
83-1737 wherein the City of San Marcos is re-
questing State Legislators to enact legislation
. requiring the election of members of the State
of California Public Utilities Commission. It
also requests that the State be broken down into
districts, with a member from each district serving
on the Commission.
The San Marcos City Council is encouraging all other
cities and communities within the jurisdiction of
San Diego Gas and Electric to adopt a similar
resolution, and to notify their representatives
in Sacramento to initiate the enactment of such
legislation.
Should you feel it necessary, a City representative
will be able to attend meetings or be available to
answer any questions you might have.
2lease feel free to contact me for further
information.
1 yours,
a ✓ ' ;ct ~;,t,.-J~-4 -~
SHEILA A. KENNEDY
City Clerk
SAK:liz
RESOLUTION NO. 83-1737
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN
}!ARCOS REQUESTING STATE LEGISLATURE ENACT LEGISU1.TION
REQUIRING THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES CO!-I:1ISSION.
WHEREAS, the members of the California Public Utilities Com~ission,
hereinafter called "Commission" are appointed by the Governor; and
WHEREAS, the Commission is responsible for the regula'i:ion of intra-
state rates and services of privately owned gas, electric, and various
other utilities; and the Commission further has the power to fix rates.
of the aforementioned utilities; and there have been repeated approvals
of rate increases requested by said utilities establishing a precedent.
for further rate increase approvals; and recent rate increases approved
by the Commission will further contribute to the exho~bitant rates
already in effe~t; and
WHEREAS, there is a demonstrated need for public confid~nce and
understanding wit~ regard to the extremely high cost of energy distributed
for these utilities; and justification thereof; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of San Marcos feels that by
establishing elected positions for the Public Utilities Commission
members, the issue of "rate structure" will be placed in the public forum;
1 I thus their-actions will be in the interest of the voters of California
and not of an appointing authority; nor the interests of the utilities.
NOW, THCREFORE, due to the aforementioned, the City Council of the
City of San Marcos hereby requests that the Legislature enact legislation
to require the members of the Public Utilities Commission to be elected
by the voters of the State of California; and, further, that the State
of California be broken down into districts with .representative1...from
each district on the Public Utilities Commission.
FURTHER, that copies of this Resolution be forwarded tc all San
Diego County cities and State legislators.
PASSED, ADOPTED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of
San Marcos at its regular meeting held on the 11th day of January, 1983,
by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES : COUNCII11ENBERS :
ABSEUT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ATTEST:
THIBADEAU, !JINMONS, SMI'l.'H, HARRIS, BURTON
NONE
NONE /)
'~/1~~-f ~~~/4
LIONEL G. BURTON, NAYOR OF THE
CITY OF SAN MARCOS
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FEBRUARY 4, 1983
TO:
FROM:
AB 45
CITY MANAGER
Assistant City Manager/
Administration
According to Luke Breit of Assemblyman Chacon's office,
this bill would accomplish the following:
l. Establish a private nonprofit corporation to advocate
consumer interest before public rate-making bodies in
the state. The PUC i.s the body that is the tar,1et of
this bill. However, there is nothing in the bill that
would prevent the corporation from advocacy before
local agencies.
2, The CUB would be supported by members and not by
governmental funds.
3. The main targets of the bill are electric, gas, and
telephone utilities. However, the bill does not limit
the type of rate proceedings in which the CUB could
intervene.
4. If the bill passes, the CUB would be activated in 1984
if enough members join.
Assemblyman Chacon's offiGe is sending a copy of the bill.
FNM:cle
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~1()(1 fl.OEIIAL 8LVO SUITE 207
SAN DltGO CAUrORN!A 92!0~
17141263 2!48
SACRAMENTO
$TAT£ CAPITOi. g~01•
4AS 761'>
~1latmbly
Qtalifnrniu iilegislaturt
January 26, 1983
Honorable Mary Casler
Mayor of Carlsbad
City Hall
1200 Elm Avenue
PETER R. CHACON
ASSEMBLYMAN SEVEN1Y•NINTH DISTRICT
Carlsbad, California 92008
Dear Mayor Casler:
COMM1Tf££S
A(.IN(; (V.CC CHAIRMAN)
CONSUMER l'ROTECT>O'<
ANO TOXIC MATE~!Al <,
PUOUC EMJ'\.0\1:CS ANO
RETIRCMEO<T
WAVS•NDMEANS
..IOIIOT COMMlf'TEC O'i
1-.tSTATESECONOMV
CO~MISSION or 'ft~£
CAUfORNIAS
MtMOFR EOV4 QProRruN,nts
COMMISSION
I am writing to ask that your City Council consider supporting ~y
Assembly Bill 45, which would create a Consumers Utility Board to
represent consumers at all utility company hearings before public
agencies.
As you may know, similar legislation failed Senate passage last
year, but it gained statewide support from literally hundreds of
consumer organizations, environme11tal groups, senior citizen
associations, and many others.
The need for a Consumers Utility Board, or CUB, is clear:
rate-making proceedings by the Public Utilities Commission are
long and highly legalistic, making public participation in the
rate-making procedure almost impossible. In addition, the PUC
staff has the thankless task of having to represent both the
ratepayers' best interest and the need to keep the utility
company in question economically viable, two roleti th~t can be
and are often highly antithetical.
A CUB, with expert staff and thorough knowledge of rate-making
prccedures, voluntarily tinanced through contributions from any
ratepayer who wished to be a member of the CUB corporation, could
be a powerful tool to help reduce the upward pressure on utility
rates. Although last session the CUB concept focused mostly on
its potential impact on gas and electric rates, it should be
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January 26, 1983
noted that a major new utility expense on the horizon is that of
the basic telephone service. The CUB would be working to extract
the best possible terms for ratepayers in that area as well.
Even though it is my feeling that support for the CUB concept has
grown in both houses of the Legislature since last se,ssion, l
believe that it will take much help from consumer groups, se'.1ior
citizen associations and local government support to mall:e CUB a
reality.
Please feel free to contact my Legislative Assistant, Luke Breit,
in my Sacramento office if you have any questions about the
legislation. I look forward to hearing from you regardinq your
council's position on AB 45.
Sincerely,
~ ~-~
PETER R. CHACON
PRC:bvo
Channel 39 Editorial
ELECT THE PUC?
The Public Utilities Commission is responsible for the regulation of utilities
in California. The PUC makes the final decisions on rate hikes requested by
SDG&E and other companies. Because of the rate increases of the recent past,
the PUC has come under fire from dtizens and consumer groups arounc! the stat<!.
The City Council of San Marcos recently approved a resolution to change the makeup
of the PUC, The resolution asks that the six colllllissioners of the PUC be elected
hy the voters instead of appointed by the Governor. This is a dramatic proposal
and it might placate consumers in the short run, but it would change v~ry little.
The commissioners, whether elected or appointed, muRt still follow certain regulations
regarding most rate increases. Electing PUC commissioners would simply be a
cosmetic change.
39 Alive o~poses any proposal to elect PUC commissioners as a short-sighted
solution to a long-range problem.
I am Bill Fox. We welcome your views.
Broadc&st over KCS TV by Bill Fox, Gen. Mgr.
Friday Jan, 28th at ll :00 PM
Sat. Jan. 29 at 6:30 and Mon. Jan. 31 at 5:00PM
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RESOLUTION NO. _fil.2.,_
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, REQUESTING STATE LEGISLATURE
ENACT LEGISLATION REQUIRING THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS
OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.
WHEREAS, the members of the California Public Utilities
Commission, hereinafter called "Commission" are appointed by the
Governor; and
~TdEREAS, the Commission is responsible for the regulation of
intrastate rates and services of privately owned gas, electric,
and various other utilities; and the Commission further has the
power to £ix rates of the aforementioned utilities; and there have
been repeated approvals of rate .increases requested by said
utilities establishing a precedent for further rate increase
approvals; and recent rate increases approved by the Commission
will further contribute to the exorbitant rates already in effect;
and
tfflEREAS, there is a demonstrated need for public confidence and
understanding with regard to the extremely high cost of energy
distributed fa:.. these utilities; and justification thereof; and
~mEREAS, the City Council of the City of Carlsbad feels that
by establishing elected positions for the Public Utilities
Commission members, the issue of "rate structure" will be placed
in the public forum; thus their actions will be in the interest
of the voters of California and not of an appointing authority;
nor this interests of tha utilities.
NOW, THEREFORE, due to the aforementioned, the City Council
of the City of Carlsbad hereby requests that the Legislature
enact legislation to require members of the Public Utilities
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Commission to be elected by the voters of the State of California;
and further, that the State of California be broken down into
districts with representative from each district on the Public
utilities Commission.
FURTHER, that copies of this Resolution be forwarded to all
San Diego County cities and State legislators.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the
. adjourned . City of Carlsbad at its /regular meeting held on the 8th day
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ATTEST:
(SEAL)
AYES Council Members Casler, Lewis, Kulchin and Prescott
NOES: Council Member Chick
ABSENT: None
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