Give the Power Back to the People

By Lee B. Thibadeau

"GIVE THE POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE"

Here's one reason why:

Based on an average household usage of 500 kWh's, last year at this time, you and I paid $55.70 or an average of $0.1114 per kWh for electricity delivered to our light switch. This past month we paid $142.35 or an average of $0.2847 per kWh for electricity delivered to our light switch. That is $86.65 more than the previous year for an average increase of 156%. Our business community got hit even worse and we are starting to see that additional cost passed on to us in higher costs at the grocery stores, hardware stores, restaurants, schools and other local establishments. A 156% increase in one year is more than inflation. It's an outrage! In fact, it's almost a declaration of war against the ratepayers.

What they haven't told you yet:

When you begin to heat your home this winter, you will find out your Natural gas cost has gone up more than 38% since last winter. Our rates have gone up from $0.648 per Therm to more than $0.889 per Therm since last winter. In dollars and cents, your average monthly cost was $55.08. This winter, you will pay a minimum of $75.56.

What Lee Thibadeau did to protect us when he represented us:

In 1993/94 while still Mayor of San Marcos, Lee Thibadeau and other Members of the council and legal staff saw "deregulation" coming. Lee was concerned that a "competitive" environment would not be in place. At the same time, the city was trying to protect our local budget from continued State grabs of local government revenues. For those reasons, the Council decided to protect the city's future by asking voters to support converting the city from a General Law City to a Charter City. Lee Thibadeau added Sections to the new Charter that would allow our city to form its own Municipal Utility, protect the seniors in Mobile home parks and make it illegal for city council or employees to perform any functions mandated by State government and not funded by the State.

Lee Thibadeau and our city's legal counsel said that in the event Utilities get "out of control in the future", the city could protect its constituents by forming its own Municipal Utility and making its own deals to purchase power for all the city's ratepayers.

What Lee Thibadeau is doing to protect us now:

In July and August of this year, while you and I and our community businesses were reeling from exorbitantly high electric rates and our State Legislators were making promises while creating a long term debt with who knows how much in interest charges to be passed on to you and I in the future, Lee Thibadeau went to each of our city council members and showed them how to cut our citizens electricity costs by at least 60% within 45 to 60 days.

The city staff wrote one Resolution for the council to adopt as a first Step in the plan Lee Thibadeau presented. The first Resolution formed the Municipal Utility. But a second Resolution was staff's bureaucratic effort to make money off this crisis by creating taxing opportunities for the bureaucrats out of the utility checks we, the people, write to pay for electricity. At the same time the council adopted the enabling Resolution, the council majority determined, even after years of previous study and more important, while the ratepayers are suffering under outrageous electricity bills and local businesses are being forced into laying off people or closing their doors, even with all this going on, the council majority decided to put everything on hold until after the November election and study it. The council majority figured the outrageous electricity bills we are paying should not be a campaign issue, therefore, stall. Stall in spite of and regardless of the impact on the same people who put them into office to represent and protect them.

More reasons to "PUT THE PEOPLE BACK IN CHARGE!"

WHEN THE CITY REFUSED TO ACT:

Lee Thibadeau contacted one of the nation's largest power providers himself. Lee asked the representative, "If I were representing the city of San Marcos and its 18,119 homeowners and businesses, what kind of a price would you give us for electricity for the next five years?" The representative said, "I'm quoting another city in the Pacific North West now, we are currently quoting $0.4075/kWh. Depending on delivery destination, it could go as high as $ 0.4675/kWh."

Using a mid range of $ 0.4375/kWh, San Marcos residents, businesses, schools, churches and community/public facilities would only be paying $0.11475/kWh. for electricity delivered instead of an average of $0.2847 as far back as September 15 of this year. If your elected representatives had listened to Lee Thibadeau, you're electricity bills could already be cut by more than half!

If the current Council majority wants to hold you hostage until after the November 7th election, send them a strong message: Tell the current Council majority "enough is enough!" ELECT LEE THIBADEAU. Lee will cut your electric and gas bills, and Lee Thibadeau will get us out of the State "balancing" account so we don't PAY LATER for higher prices we shouldn't be paying today.

LEE THIBADEAU IS ASKING YOU THE VOTER TO "PUT THE PEOPLE BACK IN CHARGE."

Vote for Lee Thibadeau on November 7th.

He'll do what most other politicians refuse to do.

He'll keep his promises and . . . he'll work for THE PEOPLE.

Questions for Lee Thibadeau:

Voice: (760) 744-5728 Cell Phone: (760) 497-0604 Fax: (760) 744-8429 e-mail: lee@leethibadeau.com web site: http://www.leethibadeau.com/

Paid for by Friends of Lee Thibadeau - FPPC # 1226296