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4A Daily News – Monday, June 6, 2011 Opinion Who cares about CARE? D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 An article appearing in this paper last Tuesday stated that the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced the Califor- nia Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved the company's request for a sharp reduction in the top rate that residential cus- tomers will pay for elec- tricity starting this sum- mer. Almost lost in the piece is the fact that the action will also signifi- cantly increase the rates paid by the lowest income customers on the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program. The press release was care- fully fashioned to whitewash this egregious fact as did the title: "PG&E to lower top residential rate in June." Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point PG&E uses a tiered rate struc- ture to recover the costs of provid- ing electrical service to most cus- tomers by applying higher costs per kWh as the monthly level of consumption increases. By so doing customers that use less power are rewarded with dramati- cally lower bills than their more energy intensive neighbors. Those that use more power realize more significant savings by investing in energy efficiency measures and alternative energy technologies. This all sounds good, but the devil is in the details, particu- larly if one has limited income and cannot afford efficient housing, appliances, or alterna- tive energy systems. Hence the CARE program was imple- mented to assist low- income customers enjoy the modern convenience of electrical service to meet their needs. Until this action they have been exempt from tiered rates, paying only the first tier rate for all the power they need. This is justified because such persons have limited options to reduce their electrical costs, short of doing without. PG&E with CPUC approval has now reversed this logic by increasing the marginal costs of power for its lowest income customers by 30%. Although their cost per kWh remains lower than wealthier neighbors, the effect of such a dra- matic increase is traumatic due to their limited disposable income and inability to do anything about it but suffer. So while the heaviest and wealthiest of users see their mar- ginal costs per kWh reduced by 15%, the poorest customers get stuck with a 30% increase at a time of record high unemployment and economic stress. This appears on its face to be a mean-spirited effort to shift the costs of electrical ser- vice to those with the lowest incomes. While it may be true that some poor folks need to be prod- ded to conserve power, the vast majority of low-income customers are already doing all they can to stretch the dollars they have. A much more effective and compas- sionate move would be for PG&E to target energy efficiency and alternative energy programs toward its CARE customers and provide the financing necessary to reduce their energy bills. After all it is these customers which typical- ly have the greatest potential and need for cost-effective energy sav- ings. About the new rates Helen Burt, PG&E's senior vice presi- dent and chief customer officer said, "As the heat of summer hits and air conditioners turn on, our customers look to us to help them manage their electricity bills. Today's decision allows us to answer this call by significantly lowering the top rate they pay." By strategically deferring the imple- mentation of the increase in rates for its CARE customers until November she avoids having to face immediate concerns about low income folks sweating out this summer, but come November many CARE customers will be lit- erally out in the cold unless the CPUC comes to it senses and compels PG&E to end this sub- terfuge. I encourage those of you that have limited income, or that care about the plight of the elderly, dis- abled, or chronically underem- ployed among us that do to write the California Public Utilities Commission at 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102, call them at (800) 848- 5580, or fill out an online com- plaint form at https://ia.cpuc.ca.gov/cimsapp/ to ask them to reconsider this appalling decision. For more information on rates, as well as PG&E's many programs to help with bill payment and ways to lower bills through more effi- cient use of energy, I encourage all PG&E customers to call 1-800- 743-5000, to visit PG&E's website at www.pge.com, and to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies as you are able. Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He has travelled extensively and now makes his home in Los Molinos, where he is striving to manifest a sustainable and spiritual lifestyle. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Memories, vignettes, lessons from up there Commentary The phrase "up there" applies in various ways. We often say, when making our frequent treks to Bend, Oregon, and vicinity that we’re heading "up" to Oregon for skiing, camping and so on, meaning going north. It is, however, also a trip from 300 feet above sea level to 4000 feet. Once there, we head lit- erally "up" the road to the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort at 6,300 feet and, also literally, up the lift to any- where from 8,000 to over 9,000 feet. Hearts and lungs make appro- priate adjustments. As the ski season just wound up Memorial weekend, among mem- orable views were those afforded by the clearer days: The seemingly tiny tops of Mount Shasta and Shastina, at 180 miles, are so dis- tant that the curvature of the earth prevents seeing several thousand feet of the mountain as it drops away in the distance. Also south lies the backbone of the Cascades: Mounts Thielsen, Bailey and Scott around Crater Lake and, looking proportionately larger, the much closer Diamond Peak near the Willamette Pass. The Cascade lakes form a series of white foot- prints going south, draining into the Deschutes River watershed. Looking north, on a clear day we could see Mount Hood, east of Portland, about a hundred miles away; on a really clear day the view would include Mount Adams, 150 miles away in Wash- ington. Nearer mountains include the 10,000-12,000 foot peaks of Sisters, Washington and Jefferson. The views from 9,000 feet also sometimes included the demarca- tion line between the brownish layer of smoke, haze and pollution below, and the deep blue sky above. The regenerative and clean- ing powers of rain and wind always scrubbed the air clean, though. Unseen but measurable pollutants from volcanoes, Chinese dust storms and power plants, however, found their way into fil- ters placed by scientists at the top of Bachelor, Oregon’s highest weather station. Mental images, as well as digi- tal camera disks, have etched the visions of everything from leaving the mountain in winter, traveling through spring in the lower moun- tains to Lake Shasta, and finding grasses turning brown along I-5. Tehama County’s 2-months-ago spring flowers were fondly remembered when the flowering trees and plants burst out in the high Oregon desert in May. Even then, 15 inches of snow over sever- al days fell on the slopes preceding Memorial Day; the final drive back on June 1 had me staring in won- derment at the coating of snow along Highway 97 between Dorris and Weed, in the Grass Lake area and passes. It never gets boring. Other little stories stand out, for better or worse, on more political angles. More and more folks are sharing their simpatico feelings and thoughts when they see my stickers. "Nobama ’08; No experi- ence, No leadership, No hope," "Fight crime, shoot back," "Tea Party Patriots" and "NRA" logo get many thumbs-up, and an occasion- al middle finger. Liberals have this unbalanced compulsion to vent at identifiable conservatives; I always grin and flash a "thumbs up." I get many knowing nods when I offer that President Obama now has experience but America still has no leadership or hope. Laughs invariably ensue when they see my "All sham, no wow—as seen on TV" sticker with Obama’s face. "Vote Democrat, Double your Taxes" seemed an exag- geration until these mind-boggling deficits appeared to be an inten- tional strategy for plung- ing America into such debt that Democrats will have no solution but to radically raise taxes on everyone. The Tea Party in Redmond planned and advertised a rally for "Liber-Tea" on a local lumber retailer’s property. To their embar- rassment, on the day of the rally, thousands of people had to be told the event was cancelled. Conspira- cy? Government intrusion? It turned out that the planners had a couple of words wrong on a coun- ty insurance waiver form; words they really had no excuse for hav- ing messed up because they had held prior events before and filled it out properly. I still found myself aghast that a clearly political, non- commercial event on private prop- erty would be so subject to minute arrangement of insurance wording on a county form. Shouldn’t that be a matter between the owner and his insurer? Shouldn’t the default permission be derived from the Consti- tutional "right of the people to peaceably assemble"? Sigh! Don Polson The way I see it Some of us took our signs, banners and flags down to a side- walk along Highway 97 just north of Bend along a major mall. Judging by the honks, the upraised thumbs, the eagerness to be given small American flags, and the smiling, cheering faces, we were a hit. But not among everyone. There were some antagonistic gestures and shouts (see above comment on liberals’ unbalanced compul- sions). One union-type man went out of his way to walk over and ply his tired talking point about how we are somehow impugning the patriotism of others by wav- ing our flags; we’ve read such liberal mindlessness here from time to time. He wandered off when the only response we gave him was to break into singing "God Bless America." ‘Nuff said. Bring on summer. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.