Block appointments to the CPUC

Governor Schwarzenegger's stealth reappointment of Commissioners Rachelle Chong and Michael Peevey to the Public Utilities Commission (see article below) is a real slap in the face to all Californians. Chong and Peevey have been advocates of exactly the type of deregulation that has caused so many of our current woes and has cost the ratepayers and consumers of California so much in dollars and in lost protections that were once available through the CPUC (California Public Utilities Commission) regulations.

These two are basically nothing more then lobbyists for industry, posing as watchdogs. The proverbial wolves in sheep's clothing.

What you can do:

Contact Nettie Sablehouse if you want to be put on the record as opposed to the appointments. She is the Rules Comm staffer responsible for appointments.


Contact Darrell Steinberg's office directly, 916. 651.1529 , as he is the key to blocking these appointments, and tell him "no to industry, yes to ratepayers"!

Contact your own State Senator: http://www.sen.ca.gov/~newsen/senators/senators.HTP

In Humboldt County: write and/or call Pat Wiggins
707/445-6508 or 916/445-3375 patricia.wiggins@sen.ca.gov and CC: zuretti.goosby@sen.ca.gov
and darrell.steinberg@sen.ca.gov
and ask her to pressure the members of the rules committee to block these appointments.


If enough people object, the Senate might possibly listen to us, the citizens of California, rather then the industry lobbyists who are oh so happy to have two of their own on the CPUC.

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http://www.turn.org/article.php?id=788

No Change, No Hope for consumers — Governor reappoints deregulation fanatics to CPUC

by California Political Desk, California Chronicle
December 1st, 2008
San Francisco — TURN today said Governor Schwarzenegger's stealth reappointment of Commissioners Rachelle Chong and Michael Peevey to the Public Utilities Commission was a step backward for California and a blow to consumers. TURN, California's statewide utility consumer advocacy organization, said that change is desperately needed at the CPUC, and without it consumers have little hope. The previous terms of Commissioners Peevey and Chong have been marked by higher utility bills, reckless deregulation similar to that seen in the banking industry and excessive ratepayer costs for overpriced utility projects such as "smart" meters. "There is widespread agreement throughout the United States that change is needed to fix our country's economic problems," said TURN executive director Mark Toney. "California can and should be at the forefront of that change. To do so we need to move away from reckless deregulation toward responsible regulation in the public interest. But Commissioners Chong and Peevey have done everything in their power to take our state in the opposite direction." Both Commissioners have a track record of siding with corporate interests over consumer interests. President Peevey has played a pivotal role in energy policies that are costing California consumers billions while providing no discernable benefits, and is actively attempting to undermine the clear legislative prohibition on more electric deregulation. Commissioner Chong's decisions have lead to substantially higher rates for essential phone service at a time when Californians can least afford it, and are allowing AT&T to suck more and more money out of our state into their corporate coffers in San Antonio. Toney said consumer groups had hoped to see some fresh faces on the CPUC in 2009. "The Governor should appoint Commissioners who put affordability, accountability and sustainability first, rather than taking us back toward the dark days of deregulation," he said.

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