Inga Barks: Blame legislator, not just PG&E, for higher rates
| Friday, Oct 09 2009 06:03 PM
Last Updated Friday, Oct 09 2009 06:03 PM
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Disclaimer: I'm neither an apologist nor fan of PG&E. I too have stories of heartless billing departments and disputed statements. They're on par with every plumber who gave me sticker shock, and every grocery clerk who double-charged me for milk (except for that pesky fact that I can shop elsewhere, which isn't so with utilities. But that's another column).
That said, the stink over SmartMeters is getting out of control. There's much talk about SmartMeters from PG&E. People don't accept PG&E explanations for high energy bills. While I support every bit of scrutiny the consumers give PG&E, in general I accept the explanations of a hot summer combined with rate increases.
What I don't accept, however, is a politician who says "Look over there!" while he votes for the very laws that created this mess in the first place. Let me explain...
SmartMeters aren't free. The cost of this technology is passed on to you by approval of the Public Utilities Commission. According to the Web site for SmartMeter proponent Clean Tech Group LLC, a huge benefit of SmartMeters is to meet state greenhouse gas emissions standards by creating the equivalent of removing 79,000 cars off the road.
State Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, who heard the complaints of ratepayers this week, voted for the greenhouse standards that forced the hand of PG&E and, according to his Web site, "Fought for the statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions."
He supported your rate increases!
Long before his much-publicized public forum, the senator also voted for AB 64, requiring PG&E to go from 20 percent to 33 percent solar, wind, geothermal, etc. The cost to YOU? About $63 billion more than you pay now (about $26 billion more than you spend on K-12 education).
Florez also championed bills that make your bills go up. Thanks to his votes, PG&E is limited in how much "alternative energy" it can buy outside California, leaving you prey to whatever deals PG&E can strike within California.
He voted for YOU to offset the cost of the solar/wind/geo plants as well as the cost of the infrastructure that is needed to get the power to your house!
Florez can't be blamed alone for your energy bills. He joined the cadre of lawmakers who voted to continue taking your money in the name of the environment. (He brags a 100 percent approval from such groups, whose activities have helped create our current regulatory drought).
Your challenges of PG&E rates should continue just like your challenge to the checkout at the grocery store. But please consider the source of your grief. Florez's votes created the SmartMeter! The enemy of our pocketbook may be PG&E, but it doesn't act alone. If you favor climate change laws you can gladly embrace higher electricity bills with no complaints to Dean Florez, who brags to have voted for them.
If you'd prefer spending your hourly wage on food and mortgages, consider supporting lawmakers who care about the working man who favors smart ecological protections, but puts humans above grandstanding.
Inga Barks, who hosts a talk show on AM 1180 KERN, is one of four conservative community columnists whose work appears here every Saturday. These are the opinions of Barks, not necessarily The Californian's. You can e-mail her at ibarks@ bakersfield.com. Next week: Ric Llewellyn.
