Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
I am a lifelong resident of San Joaquin County. My family background dates back to 1913, at which time my grandfather chose Manteca to raise a family and conduct a business.
In 1913, Manteca was described to me to be a thriving community due to benefits attributed to reclaimed farm ground (former wetlands) and irrigation deliveries by South San Joaquin Irrigation District.
Over time, SSJID’s continued reliable water delivery service allowed for many business opportunities benefitting those of us that continue to live and work here.
Today, a certain measure of public trust has been placed with SSJID, which I believe is the result of over 100 years of dependable service. For several years now, SSJID has been working to take over our local electric service management from PG&E for the SSJID service area. They saw an opportunity that would benefit all of us: offering electric service at a lower rate, brining more jobs o our community and localizing the accountability of our electric utility provider. The Local Agency Formation Commission will hold a public hearing Dec. 10-11 in order to vote as to whether to allow SSJID to move forward with this change in utility service providers.
Like many other utility ratepayers in the SSJID territory of Manteca, Escalon, and Ripon my family and many of my neighbors are anxiously awaiting LAFco’s decision, that hopefully will grant SSJID authority to provide retail electric service to its current residential, agricultural and business water customers.
It has been widely publicized that if SSJID is granted this authority, it is projected that electric service customers within their district will see at least a 15% savings on their current PG&E bill.
Not only is this change significant, it is long overdue.
In addition, with more than 100 years of experience in providing reliable utility service, I feel SSJID is ready to continue that tradition by also providing electricity to customers in its current service area.
In recent times, our state’s drought has been brought to our attention the importance of sustaining water resources. That leads me to appreciate SSJID’s role in managing this vital source for more than a century. In the heart of California, the San Joaquin Valley produces about 12.8 percent of this nation’s agricultural production. This wouldn’t be possible without a reliable source of water.
Effectively managing the drought’s impact on customers has shown that SSJID can work through tough times. SSJID’s core business is supplying water for irrigating crops. With the current drought, this means utilizing every possible step to conserve water heading into next year. I would expect that SSJID will bring this same working philosophy to providing retail electricity.
In a recent article, I read a quote from SSJID General Manager Jeff Shields. He stated, “In today’s tough economic times, the cost of essential commodities, goods and services such as food, gasoline, utility, and electricity are on the top of everyone’s minds. We must constantly look for savings and ways to conserve. Now is the time to be responsible with all our resources. A 15% savings on the cost of electricity will be welcomed by those in every corner of out hard-working community.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Many citizens may wonder how this will look. It is my understanding that the savings will be immediate and quickly reflected in lower electric bills. The new SSJID utility will be a non-profit entity with local control exercised by locally-elected leaders. This means that an elected board will be accountable to customers rather than stockholders.
With that in mind, it is my experience that when decisions are made locally it will most likely lead to dollars being spent locally boosting our regional economy rather than a privately-held corporation headquartered outside of San Joaquin County that has little or no local accountability.
For this reason I am in favor of SSJID “flipping the switch” to provide electricity and retaining its existing workforce, creating new jobs, and adding to the benefit of our local cities and county rather than draining local resources without any guarantee that jobs will stay here.
It’s time for a change. The support for this change is evident to me as I speak to many of our communities; residents, farmers, and small business owners who are anticipating that this SSJID savings will mean. Although some people resist anything new, when change is for the better it is easier to accept. Given the recent headlines about the troubles of our current utility provider, there appears to be little downside in allowing SSJID to provide our electricity. They appear ready, willing, and able.
After considerable effort put forth by SSJID over the past eight years, I look forward to the LAFco vote this week and encourage LAFco members to ring in Christmas a little early in South San Joaquin County.
Martin Harris
Manteca
