We need an ISO
As a Benicia resident I found out about the May 5 Valero refinery near-catastrophic emergency shutdown and major flaring incident in real time, when I drove through the large black cloud of smoke looming over Interstate 680 which was headed directly toward the Suisun Marsh and the city of Fairfield. The fire trucks and police were at the refinery, and as I drove by I received information about the incident and the shelter in place order from my radio. Luckily for me, my car seals up tight when the windows and vents are closed so I had no adverse effects, but unfortunately, some people close to the incident required medical care. Neither our town of Benicia nor the residents ever received any information about what happened, what was in the black cloud and what could help prevent another major incident like this in the future.
It wasn’t until 5 months later that a KQED reporter shared a very limited investigative report from Solano County about the incident. This is surprising, being Solano County has one of the highest rates of childhood asthma and ER visits for asthma in the state of California, and the public would have benefited from knowing what had been in that black cloud. It seems there is a problem with the reporting mechanism that left the city government of Benicia and its residents in Solano County in the dark about what happened. Also, it seems that there are no air monitors in the town of Benicia that accurately measures toxic incidents in real time that are able to give a report of what was released.
These two areas could be greatly improved on if we had an Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO).
Benicia is the only jurisdiction in the Bay Area that contains a refinery but doesn’t have an ISO.
Contra Costa County adopted an ISO and revised it after the 2012 Chevron Fire to help facilitate cooperation between industry, the city, the county, local fire departments, Cal/OSHA, Cal/EPA, other agencies that have oversight of businesses, and the public in the prevention and reduction of incidents at their refineries.
Their ISO has been praised as the best safety ordinance in the country and we have the opportunity to hear about it at an expert safety panel discussion (including representatives that created the Contra Costa ISO) on Nov. 14 at 7pm, in the Benicia Library at 150 East L St., which is free to the public.
This issue is extremely important, as the residents of Richmond found out after the 2012 Chevron catastrophic fire that resulted in 15,000 people seeking medical treatment at area hospitals. Community support is needed to encourage our city government to protect us citizens and our children in creating and adopting a Benicia ISO and attending this panel meeting is the essential first step, so I urge you all to come.
Pat Toth-Smith,
Member of Benicians for a Safe and Healthy Community
Cavalier approach to water/sewer rates
Mayor Patterson, have you ever really looked into why the residents are very angry about water/sewer rates? Let me give you my answer. My current water bill is $38 dollars higher than last year. That is a 21 percent increase. On the surface, that does not look all that bad but looking further into the bill tells the real story. In the current statement, I used 25 percent less water during the same period. Also, the current bill has two less days so now let’s compare. Water consumption and maintenance charge for 2016 was $71. For 201,7 it was $80. That is $9 higher or a 13 percent increase on water consumption/maintenance.
Sewer maintenance/consumption charge was $111 for 2016. For 2017, the charge was $132. That is $22 higher or an increase of 20 percent. 2016 has a drought surcharge of $10 and a senior discount of $7. The net charge is $3. For 2017, there was a meter replacement charge of $12 and no drought surcharge or senior discount. Therefore. the 2017 bill has an increase charge of $9. This increase was for fewer days and less water usage. Now that is a very simple answer why the residents are angry at you, Mayor Patterson.
We must also remember there will be an increase in 2018 again. Just how did this happen? Very simple, the mayor did not take responsibility for over 13 years, then hit the citizens with a big rate increase. This would not have happened if the mayor was a better leader/manager of financial and consumer issues. It is your fault, Mayor Patterson. You can fix it if you truly care about the residents.
By the way this issue is not going away. It will be a big issue in the 2018 council election. My prediction is you will delay and use the same old rhetoric you have used in the past. My suggestion to voters would be to not vote for any candidate backed by the mayor for 2018 City Council election. You will get the same agenda-driven personal ideals which does not include all residents. Time’s up, Mayor Patterson. I do hope you enjoy your retirement at the end of 2020. You will not be re-elected if you choose to run again.The “Owl” will be watching.
Bob “The Owl” Livesay,
Benicia
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I am confused by your LTTE. It appears you think the state ISO will prevent another issue like the one on May 5, 2017. Just how would it prevent that issue on May 5, 2017. The city of Benicia and Valero were on it immediately and you say so. They also made SUGGESTION ABOUT MEDICAL ISSUES IF ANY AND WHAT TO DO. I would like to see your comparisons on what the City of Benicia ISO would do that would be different than what the State IOC would do. You say so in your LTTE so I assume you have info to share. I assume all of that will be discussed at the meeting on Nov. 14, 2017. I noticed the groups that are sponsoring this meeting and am very concerned about the political nature of some of those group. Was Valero invited? This item will appear as an agenda item very soon on the City of Benicia council meeting agenda items. At that time all the councilmember, invited speakers, Valero can have their opportunity to defend their concerns and needs for an IOC in the City of Benicia. I think this is being done now at the Mayors direction to embarrass the City Council even though she may be playing very coy about this issue. I would have hoped the mayor would have stepped in and showed leadership and used the council to review this very thoroughly. It does appear certain groups in Benicia do want to make an enemy out of Valero rather than a friend. Has any of these groups had a sit down with Valero and asked how this could have benefit in the future? Just maybe Valero may have a better plan. This is just pure anti fossil fuel, Valero and big oil.
But you have no political slant right Owl? Why are you so afraid of having an ISO? Seems like all the other refineries in the state have lined up, and they’re still in business. Go figure.
Also, If we pay you $9 will you shut up about your water bill already?! The water infrastructure has been aging for many many years, and we’ve been in a major global financial crisis through most of the last 8 or so years. Nobody is happy about it, but attacking the Mayor every chance you get, on every issue imaginable is getting old.
You apparently did not read my LTTE. The nine dollars was a minor part of it. It was using less water and less days but still have a big increase. Yes I will attack any councilmember and the mayor that was for the water increase. Their failure to understand the finances after kicking the can down the road for 15 years or more is no excuse. There is a very simple fix to help the residence. Extend the capitol improvements out for more years. What’s a few more years when we have done nothing for many years. Just who should I blame JB? Attacking the mayor is not getting old it is getting nothing done that is getting old. Do you have a better idea? Take a look at Benicia happenings. I think you will find I have a lot of support on this issue. They all attacked the mayor. Secondly I am not afraid of having an ISO in Benicia. We already have a state ISO. Now explain to me why the city should finance this with a financial crisis looming. Tell me about the cost and efficiency of a local ISO. Would it have prevented the May 5th incident. No. Valero has a very high above standard rating for health and safety. Yes this issue is a political issue driven by the new group of Progressives which simple means no Republicans welcome to be elected to city offices. Now please explain that to me.
While I question the need for an ISO, I’d also question why this isn’t a county issue? A Solano County ISO would cover all industries in the county, the brewery, any potential industrial uses on MI and other locations within Solano.
How much will administrating a City ISO cost the city?
The mayor is getting no county support on this issue. There will be no county employees at the meeting. The cost may be discussed at the meeting. Also very important is the difference between the Contra Costa County ISO and the State ISO. They may in fact be the same.
On water rates: Bob, you have an inherent inconsistency in your letter: you correctly complain that the Council failed to increase the water rates as they should have on a regular basis for a decade, and then had a huge increase to make it up. Your solution is more of the same: delaying rate increases and capital projects will only result in big increases in rates later and will increase capital costs (construction costs typically exceed inflation). Your solution of a delay in increases is doing exactly what the Council mistakenly did for years.
While I understand that big increases are a shock, you also got the benefit of years of rates that were lower than the amount needed, and you benefited from an (unlawful) senior discount. One of the stated reasons for not increasing rates was to keep the senior discount that courts had decided violated Prop 218. You benefited from that.
Bottom line is: rates must cover costs. Delays in rate increases and needed capital projects do not solve the basic problem, they make it worse. Sorry.
Very well said Greg. I also would add that the long term economic outlook is bleak in my opinion. There was an article in the paper talking about a $150,000,000,000 (one hundred fifty BILLION) in unfunded pension liability by CALPERS who is pushing these types of decisions out for years and decades while the problem continues to get worse.. This can has been kicked down the road and at some point it time some generation is going to have to address the issue. As I see it, our water rates were kept artificially low to prevent an undue impact during the economic downturn that began in 2007/08 and we now have to pay the piper.
Water rates may have been kept low as you say. But that is not the problem. Very little capital improvements over many years to an aging system. There apparently were little if any mayor fixes for over fifty years. The former Director told me that. So as you see it will take time. CalPers is a different matter. I told the council/mayor and City Manager that we are on a road to a big financial crisis. No one disagrees except the mayor. A few years back our city budget was about 30/32 mil. Now it is over 40 mil and going up to the tune of about 1 mil a year. The big problem is lack of a sound economic development plan. Recreational cannabis is not the answer. The Benicia Industrial Park coupled with the Seeno property is the answer for cannabis. Add the ten% tax for 2019 and with interest in mfg, distribution etc we could get a good partial fix. Not the total answer. This city may be facing out sourcing of some of our departments. Watch the residents go nutty on that one. Police, Fire, Parks, Library as an example.
Everyone is now paying the piper on the CalPers issue. It was wrong what they did but there is nothing that can BE done about it except what Calpers is doing. . Live with their solution which will be resolved in about 20 years and liability will go down over the years after that. The same on the water/sewer issue I am correct. Well constructed plan extended for more years than present will solve the problem. I fully understand the water/sewer issue. It was over many years and a few more years will fix it and at the same time help the residents. Is there really anything wrong with that. Residents are hit everyday with increases. My comments are as a user and a receiver of a bill. I am not an employee or bureaucrat making a decision with other peoples money. I do care about the residents. My way would work and work well. You do not correct abusive decisions in a very short time. Took time do get there will take time to cure the abuse. I am very much in favor of the fix but I am also concerned about the residents.. It cannot get worse than at present. It will take a little time to catch up. If the council had done their job with small increases every year the pain would not have been felt as it is now. Yes you may have been where we are now but we are where we are now because there were no rate increases. .Sorry Greg I am correct.
Greg I think you missed the point of my LTTE. I was letting the mayor know why the residents are angry with her. I also clearly stated that I used less water and less billing days during that billing period. Guess what that did not matter. The bill is higher. The charges for water/sewer are to cover the costs. That is why I said to extend the capitol project fixes. Less outlay per year less charges to the residents. The water bill goes up again in 2018. There is no end. So the only logical fix is to slow down the fix. Do it by priority. Very simple Greg. Residents can be happy that the council cares about them and the fix will get done.
Do we know that the water and sewage revenues go directly to a committed account used only for capital projects? Or do the revenues go to the general fund?
If the revenues go to the general fund, the bait and switch has been engaged.
Regarding previous water bills prior to the rate increase, they were NOT low. To state that we took advantage of artificially low rates is an incorrect statement. The rates were at market level for water but the revenues were mismanaged and not assigned to capital projects. So now, Benicia residents must extraordinarily high water and sewage rates for comparable work. What a bunch of BS.
Excellent comment. The Water./Sewer funds go directly to a separate fund and are used and supported by our water bills. They are used for capitol projects and the day to day operation of Water/Sewer. Personal etc. It is called an Enterprise Fund.