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Someone needs to explain both sets of accounting practices to the public. Its public money we are talking about. Californians pay tons of little taxes on utilit

Someone needs to explain both sets of accounting practices to the public. Its public money we are talking about. Californians pay tons of little taxes on utilities to fund improvements and service for the less privileged - we expect that money to be put to use and not to line the pockets of utilities. Its quite obviously that our utilities have completely failed when it comes to maintenance and improvements. What are the folks managing these finds doing other than fighting? Time to explain yourselves.

everybodyknows 6y ago
> money to be put to use and not to line the pockets ... How about this example: https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/ot-it/53/873693/cpuc-invests-more-than-20-million-in-broadband-infrastructure-and-access-for-unserved-california-households.html https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/ot-... > $11 million in grant funding ... 740 unserved households First project on the list: https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M355/K247/355247969.PDF https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M355/K... > up to $7,603,656.30 ... 1,000 Megabits per second (Mbps) download and 1,000Mbps upload to 588 unserved households. So, gigabit Ethernet, at a cost of only $12,931 per household. >According to the California Interactive Broadband Map, the area only has access to dial-up service. According to my search of that very same site just now, three competing cellular providers serve data to Williams, with T-Mobile claiming minimums of 9/4 Mbps. https://www.broadbandmap.ca.gov/ https://www.broadbandmap.ca.gov/ > residential and low-income broadband pricing plans ... for two years starting from the beginning date of service. ... 25 Downstream(Mbps)/25 Upstream(Mbps) - $25/month Wondering how many of those 588 households are behind on their monthly bills just now? How many would, if given the choice, prefer to have the CPUC pre-pay for them a couple of years of cellular hotspot service, and simply refund the remainder of "their" $12,931 in cash, so they can all be assured of making their rent or mortgage payments for a while? About 588 households, I would guess. My theory: It's a subsidy program for the broadband landline industry. Regulatory capture, as usual.

everybodyknows 6y ago

> money to be put to use and not to line the pockets ... How about this example: https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/ot-it/53/873693/cpuc-invests-more-than-20-million-in-broadband-infrastructure-and-access-for-unserved-california-households.html https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/ot-... > $11 million in grant funding ... 740 unserved households First project on the list: https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M355/K247/355247969.PDF https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M355/K... > up to $7,603,656.30 ... 1,000 Megabits per second (Mbps) download and 1,000Mbps upload to 588 unserved households. So, gigabit Ethernet, at a cost of only $12,931 per household. >According to the California Interactive Broadband Map, the area only has access to dial-up service. According to my search of that very same site just now, three competing cellular providers serve data to Williams, with T-Mobile claiming minimums of 9/4 Mbps. https://www.broadbandmap.ca.gov/ https://www.broadbandmap.ca.gov/ > residential and low-income broadband pricing plans ... for two years starting from the beginning date of service. ... 25 Downstream(Mbps)/25 Upstream(Mbps) - $25/month Wondering how many of those 588 households are behind on their monthly bills just now? How many would, if given the choice, prefer to have the CPUC pre-pay for them a couple of years of cellular hotspot service, and simply refund the remainder of "their" $12,931 in cash, so they can all be assured of making their rent or mortgage payments for a while? About 588 households, I would guess. My theory: It's a subsidy program for the broadband landline industry. Regulatory capture, as usual.