CA: State Power Agency Shuts Down ~ Dies with a whimper ~ accomplishes little ~ thanks Arnold )

Los Angeles Times ^ | December 12, 2004 | Nancy Vogel, Times Staff Writer

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The authority was set up in 2001 at the end of the California energy crisis to build plants to generate electricity. But it did not construct any.

SACRAMENTO — State government rarely shrinks, but last week California's 3-year-old public power authority disappeared.

At least one prominent power expert considers the governor's action a serious mistake because Californians are using more electricity than ever: Peak consumption broke records this year — and some experts warn of tight supplies in Southern California next summer.

Spurred by a crisis in which companies such as Enron exploited California's ill-fated attempt at deregulation, making the state the butt of jokes nationwide, the power authority was set up to build electricity generating plants to protect consumers from price-gouging. But it disbanded without constructing a single unit, buying any transmission lines or..........

exercising its ability to borrow up to $5 billion.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Arnooold needs some credit here..........

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very Good....

[Cicero]

It's a good start.

I'm curious what happened to the people who worked there, and I read through the whole article to find out. Not a word.

Did they all go back to other state agencies? Retire on their pension benefits?

Actually get thrown out on the street?

[snopercod]

Amen to that. How many millons did this agency spend while not producing one watt of power?

[snopercod]

So did S. David Freeman ride off into the sunset?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Well I wouldn't expect to find the answer to your question in the LA Times...so I don't have any idea.

[snopercod]

I did a google search and...so far...the Slimes is the only outlet covering this story.

Where are the SacBee or the San Diego papers on this?

You really have to laugh at the California media in general. They just ignore what they don't want to admit - that their socialist plans and schemes have failed once again.

[DTogo]

Freeman was supposed to be a real "player" in the CA power markets. Once his sugar daddy in Sacremento got the boot, so his "player" status vanished...

[NormsRevenge]

Bump for doing the only right thing.. this time. ;-)

California's 3-year-old public power authority disappeared.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for those who would exacerbate the state power requirements as we face even more catastrophic power problems in the future. 2001 was just a taste of what lies ahead,imo.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Yes we are still in a mess... but they can build power plants in Mexico....and an LNG port is going in south of Ensenada , so they can use Natural Gas to run power plants if someone will just build them ,and they won't have to lay pipelines which the greenies would try to shut down.

[Robert357]

The Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority leaves behind $8 million in debt to utility customers and a couple of clean-energy programs handed off to California's remaining electricity bureaucracy.

Launched in the summer of 2001 just as power prices and supplies stabilized, the agency soon became an unhappy reminder of perhaps California's most expensive public policy mistake: a flawed attempt to deregulate the electricity industry that led to blackouts, a utility bankruptcy and billions of dollars of additional electricity costs that residents will shoulder for years.

I guess even the LA Times is saying the Gray Davis left a hell of a legacy!

Thanks for the ping.

[SierraWasp]

"Arnooold needs some credit here.........."

Ok, Ernest, I'll give him credit for blowing up ONE, and only ONE lousy box!!!

The "Terminator" has terminated ONE, and only ONE lousy Cauleefourneeah boondoggle!

So what's that make the score now... ONE down and ONE founded, the Sierra-Nevada CONservancy, that dwarfs even the corrupt CA Coastal Commission(of a crime)!!!

Sorry Ernesto, I ain't given Arnold Schwartzenweenie nuttin till he actually does something intelligent and productive FOR CA... PERIOD!!!

So far, all he's done is shoot "CRAPS," with the danged Indian Gaming Special Interests!!!

[Carry_Okie]

Ok, Ernest, I'll give him credit for blowing up ONE, and only ONE lousy box!!!

Still, it goes onto my list.

[SierraWasp]

Me thinks you need a "weighting factor" on your listed items...

[farmfriend]

Cool aid, get your cool aid here. Cool aid...

[goldstategop]

If only the rest of our state bureaucracy would disappear without a fight... <sigh It looks like we're resigned to holding a special election in 2005 to carry out further and necessary changes.

[Carry_Okie]

Did Arnold actually DO something here or did this sunset without legislative reauthorization?

It would be really telling if conservatives were offering him praises for NOT doing something.

[Carry_Okie]

I'm very uncomfortable with the governor having even indirect power to control the composition of the legilsature via the power to nominate a board controlling reapportionment.

The less accountable we make the legislature, the less the local elections mean, the less representation we actually have. It's one of the perverse effects of the initiative process.

When ends are used to justify means, we'd best have more respect for the law of unintended consequences.

[goldstategop]

I share your reservation. But the Democrats on their own will never eliminate gerrymandering. On the plus side, at least the people get to vote on it. They can decide, rather than a roomful of politicians, whether it will bring us more accountable and responsive government. Its exactly the way the initiative process is supposed to work - power to the people.

[SierraWasp]

Arnold has the annoying habit of grabbing off other people's initiatives for his own and tweaking/torquing them till you can't recognize them!

NormsRevenge has been pushing Howard Kaloogian's redistricting initiative and Arnold should help Howard, not snatch it away, like he did the recall and another on on workers comp, I believe... It's irritating as all get out!!!