The Now Unhidden Costs of Desal in Marin

Posting these words of a friend:
Hello all,

One of the reasons, not the only of course, big money flows into campaigns the last minute is timing. Newspapers just don't have the staff available anymore to do the kind of investigative reporting we were accustomed to seeing. They don't have enough reporters to be able to send someone to the Civic Center daily to get copies of the 497s.

I have always been about full transparency because information is power, and in this day and age of communications, information can go viral in a matter of hours with YouTube and Facebook. Voters need to see where campaign contributions for candidates and measures are coming from so they can make up their own minds, informed decisions. That is the reason the California Fair Political Practices Commission exists and requires this kind of in depth public disclosure.

The MMWD is running Measure S, the bait and switch measure, competing with Measure T which was qualified by Marin's residents.

It's called the Committee to Support Marin County Measure S and Oppose Marin County Measure T. MMWD wants a shovel ready project with all plans, specs and state and federal permits in hand before having to go before voters for construction approval.

Campaign contribution information is available on-line at the Marin Registrar of Voters website and once late filings with the late contributions are added, it creates quite a mosaic of just who will benefit from the first of the desal plants proposed for our severely compromised Bay. MMWD's project is the stalking horse for desal projects proposed by four public agencies including East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC).

First, lets connect the dots then look at where the money is coming from. You know the old saying, follow the money.

Doug Linney, President of the EBMUD Board of Directors, is pushing desalination on his side of the Bay. He is also running the campaigns for Mr. Behar, President of the MMWD Board and Desal's major proponent, other MMWD incumbents and the Yes on Measure S, No on Measure T.

The SF PUC is Mr. Behar's employer.

Mr. Heliker, formerly the California Director for the Department of Pesticide Regulation, is the General Manager for MMWD.
Mr. Heliker is also the Assistant Treasurer for the Yes on S, No on T Campaign and actually the point person for the MMWD's campaign.

According to earlier FPPC filings, Yes on S, No on T:

Mr. Heliker loaned the Yes on S, No on T campaign $4,000 and contributed $1,000.

Friends of Hal Brown, $1,000. (that money originally comes from Hal Brown's contributors)

Friends of Steve Kinsey, $1,000. (that money originally comes from Steve Kinsey's contributors)

Conservation Strategies Group, $2,500 (MMWD's Desal Sacramento Lobbying and Consultant Group)

Gary Oates, Environmental Science Associates, $2,500 (MMWD Desal Consultants)

Northern California Carpenters Political Action Committee, $10,000

Late Filings, 497s:

Paul Heliker, Mgr. MMWD, $1,000. (cumulative, $6,000)

Kennedy/Jenks, MMWD's South San Francisco Desal Consultant, $5,000.

Jonathan Frieman, entrepreneur, $1,000.

Hanson Bridget, LLP, $1,000. (former Supervisor Gary Giacomini's law firm)

Marin Builders Association PAC, $1,000 (former Supervisor Peter Arrigoni is PAC Chair)

Remy, Thomas, Moose and Manley, Sacramento CA, $1,500. (MMWD's Sacramento Legal Consultants contracted with to advise and defend the Board on Desal)

CH2M Hill, $1,500. (MMWD Desal consultant)

The Dutra Group, San Rafael, CA. $2,500 (Pt. San Pedro Rock Quarry)

Simeon Realty Partners, San Francisco, CA $2,000. (reportedly owns the office building across from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal that sits on land that MMWD leases to them).

Northern California Carpenters PAC, $5,000 (total to date, $15,000)

The MMWD's Desal EIR states the small 5 million gallon per day Plant will allow for 13,800 new residential units and that equates to 28,000 new residents. Their optional 15 MGD Plant will supply enough water for 80,000 additional residents. This info is all readily available in the EIR and Legal Complaint.

Any Facebook or YouTube Techies out there?

Hiden Cost of Desalination

I took a look at our water bill today. It was a modest $33 for two months of water not counting the meter hook-up. I wanted to compare this to what it might be if MMWD builds a desalination plant. Using (in millions over 30 years) $100 for construction, $200 for financing, and $100 for operational expenses the total cost of the proposed desalination plant will be $400 million. MMWD now has 61,000 connections and sends a bill out every two months. The total yearly cost of the proposed desalination plant per connection is $218, or $36 per bill.

However Marin votes this November 2 our bills will rise. Costs go up. The current MMWD board has demonstrated a 15% conservation rate increased our bill 35%, and still faces a $2 million deficit. Much has been made of the restrictive language of Measure T. I think restrictive is really code for clarity and precision. The people have spoken when they signed the initiative to put Measure T on the ballot. Stop wasting our ratepayer dollars on a controversial plant that will double our water bills.

California Propositions

Prop 19 YES Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act
We all know we need to stop the hypocrisy and legalize this plant’s use and production. Marijuana provides violent drug cartels with 60% of their money. This bill will put gangsters out of work. It allows for government to regulate and treat this drug’s use and just like alcohol.
[www.facebook.com/taxcannabis]

Prop 20 NO Redistricting Commission
The League of Women Voters backed the Citizens Redistricting Commission in 2008. Now before the CRC has begun its work Charles Munger Jr. has spent $3 million to change it. This bill is not supported by the League. While it does extend the reach of the CRC to Congressional Districts, it requires the CRC to consider living standards, economic segregation, when defining districts.
[http://www.noprop20.org/]

Prop 21 YES State Parks – VLF
This measure will keep our parks open, and our wild areas healthy. This $18 Vehicle License Fee (VLF) for most vehicles licensed in California creates a fund to operate and protect our state parks and wild life. Vehicles that have paid this VLF can enter State Parks without charge.
[http://yesforstateparks.com/]

Prop 22 NO City, Transportation, & Redevelopment Taxes
This measure prohibits state government from taking, borrowing or diverting taxes raised for local services and projects. However, this measure severely threatens state funding of education, healthcare and social services. This $2 billion restriction on the State Legislature would not be on the ballot if we had a majority vote for a state budget. Let’s fix the real problem, No on 22 and Yes on 25.
[http://votenoprop22.com/]

Prop 23 NO Suspension of Air Pollution Laws
This measure is being sold as a jobs bill when in reality this Texas oil funded bill protects their right to pollute. This proposition creates not one job, while the “green economy” it threatens has already created a million jobs in California. Save our climate and our jobs, vote No on 23.
[http://www.stopdirtyenergyprop.com]

Prop 24 YES Reverses Corporate Tax Loopholes
Here’s another reason for voting yes on Prop 25. To close a $20 billion budget gap in 2009 the minority insisted on a tax break to multi-state corporations. This measure overturns those tax cuts, scheduled to take effect in 2011, and will save our State Budget $1.3 billion yearly.
[http://yesprop24.org/]

Prop 25 YES Simple Majority Budget
Tired of a radical minority controlling the agenda in Sacramento and costing the State millions of dollars every day the budget is delayed? This bill does not raise taxes but it does require the majority to pass the budget on time. Legislators permanently lose their salary every day the budget is late.
[www.endbudgetgridlock.com/]

Prop 26 NO Redefines Mitigation Fees as Taxes
Alcohol, tobacco, and oil interests have funded this bill. By requiring a 2/3 vote for all mitigation fees this bill effectively eliminates the ability of local and state governments from charging businesses to pay for the cost of their operations.
[http://www.stoppolluterprotection.com/]

Prop 27 NO Overturns Citizens Redistricting Commission
Its time to give up the concept of safe seats for special interests. Let the independent CRC draw districts that are safe for those actively engaged in building a culture democratic participation in our state affairs.
Go to [http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/] and
Check out the progress by clicking on the applicant pool links!!!

In Marin Municipal Water District Only

Measure S No MMWD Desalination Vote
The current Marin Municipal Water District board and its general manager, Paul Helliker -a chief proponent of the statewide lobbying group CalDesal- specially crafted the 24 words of Measure S to allow for unlimited spending on permits, engineering, engaging in contracts, and other unspecified actions prior to a vote.

Measure T Yes MMWD Desalination Vote
18,000 ratepayers signed the petition to put this measure on the ballot. Measure T’s 75 words lets us vote before the MMWD can approve, authorize, or undertake construction of a desalination plant; before MMWD engages in financing construction of a desalination plant, and before MMWD binds its ratepayers to any contract that relates to that construction.

For a fiscally and environmentally responsible MMWD board vote for:
Peter Lacques, Frank Egger, Glen Dombeck, and Dr. Larry Rose

[http://marinwatercoalition.org/]