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Thursday, march 19, 2020 •
The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint
www.sdvoice.info
STATE AND LOCAL NEWS
California Utilities Suspend Shutoffs By Nigel Duara and Jackie Botts
CalMatters
Six utilities serving more than 21 million Californians have announced that they will not shut off customers’ power for non-payment as the coronavirus continues to disrupt daily life. Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Power are taking the step until further notice. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which is the nation’s largest municipal utility, will not shut off power or water for non-paying customers until at least the end of March, and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District made the same announcement for its power customers.
Lake Tahoe, is considering a moratorium across the 14 states it serves, said Liberty western region spokesperson Alison Vai, but hadn’t made a final decision on Friday. California also has dozens of other municipally-owned electric utilities, including Pasadena, Anaheim, Riverside and Glendale.
“I think it’s a good thing that the utilities realize that we are in a public health care crisis with the coronavirus pandemic. It is appropriate to make sure that people aren’t disconnected in the middle of it,” said Mark Toney, executive director of the consumer advocacy organization Utility Reform Network, based in San Utilities usually protect Francisco. “A lot of people are customers who are struggling going to not get paid, can’t go to pay bills only during major to work, can’t collect a salary.” natural disasters. SoCal Edison shut off power “We’re trying to reduce the about nine times for every burdens people have,” said 100 customers in 2016, while Pacif ic Power spokesman PG&E did so about six times Tom Gauntt, whose company per 100 customers. SDG&E’s serves customers in Northern rate was three shutoffs per 100 C a l i for n ia , Oregon a nd customers, and for SDG&E Washington. “We do a similar it was two, according to the thing during a big ice storm.” Utility Reform Network report. And about 1 percent A seventh utility, Liberty to 2 percent of Pacific Power’s Utilities, which serves about customers have their power 50,000 electricity customers near shut off during a typical year,
Gaunt said. Power usage could be altered by the pandemic in unexpected ways, said Wes Jones, communications manager for San Diego Electric & Gas. People who are self-quarantining or self-isolating will likely use more power than if they went to a job. Schools are closing across the state, meaning kids could be spending more time at home, too. It all will likely add up to higher power bills for California customers. The decision to stop disconnecting customers who can’t pay bills represents a distinct change from how utilities responded to the slower-moving Great Recession, when economic disconnections nearly tripled between 2007 and 2009, according to a 2017 report from the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates privately owned utility companies. Only after the Commission intervened in 2009 did the companies stop shutting off power to customers who were late on their bills.
punitive is not the answer,” said Commissioner Mar t ha Guzman Aceves. “And that really helping their customers stay in a home with power will only help them revive economically. And that it’s in their interest to keep these customers healthy.”
broadband will find it nearly impossible to telecommute to work or attend classes online as more workplaces and schools shut down, said Guzman Aceves. New York and New Jersey both announced Friday that no utility will be permitted to shut off power, heat or water during the states’ emergencies. But there is no statewide edict in California.
The Federal Communications Commission on Friday asked Internet and cable providers to hold off on non-payment shutoffs, to not charge late fees and to open wireless hotspots As the coronavirus threat for no charge until May 13, 60 spreads, six California legislators days after the request. Most have asked Gov. Gavin Newsom major telecom providers have agreed, according to a memo by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
for a host of measures aimed at assisting low-income state residents and those facing eviction. Their letter asked for a stay on all evictions and foreclosures, along with a statewide pause on any utility shutoff and a postponement of any adversarial hearing before a housing authority for recipients of housing assistance.
The same day the California Broadband Council moved to “formally request that providers offer free Internet services until the end of April due to the State’s pandemic emergency,” said Alice ScottRowe, communications deputy director for the California Department of Technology.
About 26 percent of California households lack a broadband s u b s c r ipt ion at home , according to a Public Policy “I think they’re having a new Institute of California analysis relationship with their customers of 2017 survey data from the in acknowledging that just being Census Bureau. Those without
SDUSD Meal Pick-Up Census Day is April 1st Locations for Children Courtesy of San Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified Food and Nutrition Services will be conducting a drive thru/ walk-up distribution of daily grab-and-go prepared meals, free of charge. Children must be present to receive meals, and each child 18 years and younger may take one lunch and one breakfast for the next day. SDUSD requires that all food is be taken and consumed offsite. Meal distribution times for all locations are Monday -Sherman Elementary School CA 92126 through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to - 301 22nd St, San Diego, CA 1:00 p.m. 92102 -Farb Middle - 4880 La Cuenta Dr, San Diego, CA 92124 As of Monday, March 16, -Zamorano Fine Arts Academy the following locations are - 2655 Casey St, San Diego, CA -O’ Farrell Charter School serving meal: 92139 6130 Skyline Dr, San Diego, CA 92114 -Clark Middle - 4388 Thorn -Kearny High School - 1954 St, San Diego, CA 92105 Komet Way, San Diego, CA -Porter Elementary North 92111 445 S 47th St, San Diego, CA -Cherokee Point Elementary 92113 - 3735 38th St, San Diego, CA -Walker Elementary School 92105 9225 Hillery Dr, San Diego,
- Are You Ready?
Voice & Viewpoint Newswire
Your responses to the census will impact your family and your community’s access to services for the next decade. Funding for public health, public safety, education, and infrastructure depend on everyone in California—from the youngest to the oldest— In mid-March, homes across being counted.” San Diego County began receiv ing inv itat ions to Key Dates to Remember complete the 2020 Census. You can respond from the comfort March 12 - 20: Households of your home in one of three bega n receiv ing of f icia l ways: online, by phone, or by Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how mail. to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail. Want to complete the Census online? Go to March 30 - April 1: The Census my2020census.gov. Bureau will count people who are experiencing homelessness Have questions? Call over these three days. As part this toll-free number: of this process, the Census 844-330-2020. Bureau counts people in “The 2020 Census is finally shelters, at soup kitchens here,” Secretary of State Alex and mobile food vans, on the Padilla said. “Californians streets, and at non-sheltered, should keep an eye on their outdoor locations such as tent mailboxes for their official encampments. invite to participate in the Census. In 2020, we need every April 1: Census Day is Californian to be counted. observed nationwide. When April 1 is Census Day, a key reference date for the 2020 Census. When completing the census, you will include everyone living in your home on April 1, 2020. Census Day will be celebrated with events across the country.
you respond to the census, you’ll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020. April: Census takers will begin visiting college students who live on campus, people living in senior centers, and others who live among large groups of p e ople . C en su s takers will also begin following up with households that have not yet responded in areas that include off-campus housing, where residents are not counted in groups. May - July: Census takers will begin visiting homes that haven’t responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted. December: The Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the President and Congress as required by law. Fill out your Census 2020 this year and get counted!
