Letters to the Editor 6-19-14

Killing Community Choice
Editor: PG&E tried to kill Community Choice in a ballot measure that we defeated. Now they have gone to the legislature with big bucks lobbyists. Assembly Bill (AB) 2145 will be heard in the California State Senate Energy Committee on Monday, June 23. This bill would change the current opt-out requirement to opt-in, which would essentially kill any future efforts like Sonoma Clean Power in California.  
Please call and/or email committee Chair Alex Padilla this week and urge him to lead his committee in rejecting AB 2145:
Senator Alex Padilla, 916-651-4020
@SenAlexPadilla — Twitter
Me**********@se*.gov
Amazingly, this sailed through the Assembly because of such intense lobbying from the utilities. It is really important to kill it now in the Energy Committee before it gets to the Senate floor. Calls to Padilla will work: he is running for Secretary of State and doesn’t want to anger voters.
If enacted, AB 2145 will:
• Limit consumer choice;
• Reduce competition;
• Thwart California’s environmental goals created by the landmark climate protection bill AB32;
• Infringe on local government decision-making power;
• Diminish local communities’ ability to create local clean energy jobs; and,
• Destroy the future of Community Choice energy in California.
AB 2145 will change the rules to make it impossible to establish viable Community Choice energy programs, thus cementing the utility monopolies. Community Choice energy is one of the most powerful solutions available to local governments to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. AB 2145 represents a backward step for California’s leadership.
Please don’t let the utilities win. Make that call.
Marty Roberts
Solar Sebastopol co-founder
Puzzled
Editor: There seems to be considerable confusion about what the Palm Drive Health Care District’s powers are. Here’s what I have found so far:
The Palm Drive Health Care District was approved by voters in 2000 with the following charter: “The purpose of the district is to ensure local access to emergency, acute care and other medical services to residents and visitors of the district area.” Apparently, a recent report by LAFCO confirmed that the district’s powers are limited to this purpose and that changes would need to be approved by the voters.
The purpose of Measure W, the special parcel tax approved by the voters in 2004 is “To ensure survival of Palm Drive Hospital and access to local emergency, acute care, medical and physician services.”
Given these facts, I admit to being very puzzled that the District appears to be resisting the physicians’ and Foundation’s honest efforts to re-open the hospital, which is exactly what the District appears charged to do. We need to know what is behind this and I hope your paper will take the time to investigate thoroughly and report to us. What is their intention if it is not to operate a hospital?
I’ve also heard people say that the district violated the Brown Act leading up to the announcement to close the hospital. Surely your reporters can find out if there is proof of these claims by looking at the documents and either dispel these rumors or confirm them.
Gail Raborn
Sebastopol