To: The California State House and The California State Senate
Hold PG&E Accountable for Their Wildfire Negligence
Kill all legislation which would allow PG&E and the other utilities to stick their customers with the cost of their negligence in keeping their equipment from sparking wildfires.
Why is this important?
Your vote to kill such legislation will be a vote for the people in your district.
If instead, if you vote in favor of such legislation, you will be voting for PG&E and the other utilities, and against the people in your district. We’re paying attention to who votes for the people and who votes for the corporations.
The state agency which objectively investigates wildfires to identify the causes has already said PG&E is responsible for 12 of the disastrous wildfires last year. The October wildfires killed 44 people, destroyed more than 9,000 homes and other structures, and caused damages estimated at nearly $10 billion, as reported by the East Bay Times newspaper.
Legislation that allows PG&E to stick its customers with wildfire costs sends the wrong message to PG&E and the other utilities: It tells them that they can divert funds into excessive profits and obscene executive salaries and bonuses, funds which were supposed to be spent on preventing their equipment from causing or adding to wildfires.
Killing legislation that allows PG&E to stick its customers with wildfire costs will send the right message to PG&E and the other utilities: Spend the money on safety which is designated for safety. Design procedures to minimize your equipment causing or adding to wildfires before extreme weather conditions happen, not afterward, which is what your expensive ads say you’re doing now, too little and too late.
PG&E has generated $67 billion in revenues over the past four years and realized about $5 billion in profits, including $1.7 billion last year. They don’t deserve to have you to bail them out.
You can support the families whose homes were destroyed or loved ones were killed by the 2017 wildfires with legislation in which the State of California guarantees bonds issued by the utilities to pay wildfire claims, subject to the utilities repaying the State of California over time, and forbidding the forgiveness of the repayment to the State in any bankruptcy proceeding.