Victories
Community Based Clean Energy Saved
From May 2009 to June 2010, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) corporation spent nearly 50 million dollars gouged from its ratepayers, to push Prop 16, a cynical ballot measure designed to entrench special protections for PG&E's monopoly, into the California constitution. The proposition would have blocked lower cost competitors, and would have killed all California Community Choice renewable energy programs, which now provide scores of cities with high percentages of local clean electricity.
PG&E's Expensive Fossil Fuel Business Model
These community projects challenge PG&E's skyrocketing electricity rates, and its stubborn profiteering off of energy generated from fossil and nuclear fuel. PG&E's energy mix is only one third renewable (just barely complying with state minimums - while local programs like CleanPowerSF offer much cleaner energy at the same or lower prices). To fund its wasteful fossil fuel energy empire, PG&E is constantly seeking billions of dollars in new electricity rate increases.
PG&E Money Corrupting Democracy And Elections
In previous years, PG&E had already poured tens of millions of dollars into deceptive and unlawful smear campaigns in Davis, Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, San Joaquin, Marin County, and San Francisco, to weaken, and in some cases completely halt, local shifts to cleaner and lower cost community generated electricity.
The Deception Of Prop 16
Outrageously called the 'Taxpayers Right To Vote Act' Prop 16 would have allowed a mere one third of voters in any city or county to block local community energy projects, even though these projects require no tax or rate increases whatsoever because they easily pay for themselves by eliminating private profits, and by gaining revenues and savings from renewables and efficiency.
Though Outspent By PG&E 500 To 1
Grassroots Campaign Defeats Prop 16!
In 2009, Our City helped found and organize the campaign against Prop 16, joining with hundreds of other groups and activists all over the state.
And on election night, June 8, 2010, having spent only 120 thousand dollars against PG&E's 50 million, in one of the most important consumer and environmental victories in California history, our statewide grassroots coalition proved that organizing, person to person, can defeat even massive corporate campaign spending. Prop 16 lost, getting only 47.5% of the vote.