Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

Great op-ed piece on “Recall PG&E lapdog & elect Erin Brokovich as California’s governor”.

My points to add:

1) Newsom received $200,000 from PG&E in his bid for governor. PG&E donations spiked in 2018. They’re all bought and paid for, and now, all the laws have been passed. Just the rate hike and the bankruptcy to go, and those are slam dunks because of the previous steps taken by the legislature and CPUC. Shareholders saved. Hip hip hooray.

2) The public is still woefully unprepared. People with financial problems and various age-related problems and cognitive deficits know nothing and/or can do nothing.

3) PG&E must — absolutely — must finish hardening their system fast. Not 10 years. That is unacceptable.

4) Our cellular phone systems must be upgraded since most cell towers do not have backup batteries that will last throughout a multi-day outage. They’re going need to have solar panels added. This is a major issue but all we hear from PG&E and the “authorities” is that “cellular service may be affected”. Can you imagine no 911 for half the population? Not just for medical emergencies but for criminal activities?  

5) Imagine the temperature is 105 degrees and the authorities say to use water very sparingly. No air conditioning, no cold showers, just sweat it out for 5 days. Good luck, you schmucks!

6) Next year’s fire season will likely be worse than this year, assuming rainfall returns to normal or low levels, because this year’s growth will dry out and burn next year.

7) People rushing out to buy generators ought to pause and reflect. It is possibly wisest to purchase/lease a solar battery system. That way it pays for itself over time and no need to worry about buying gasoline or dealing with PG&E, at all. Might cost $50,000 but federal tax credits may be available and low cost financing may be available now that the Fed is lowering rates. If shutoffs are the new normal then plan for the long term, not just this year.

8) It is time to vote out of office every politician who isn’t serious about the nuts and bolts of governing and taking care of the people’s business. I’m talking about safe water, reliable power, clean streets without potholes, rehabilitating homeless people, etc. Far too much time spent on National Donut Day, and various politically correct, fashionable but useless laws.  California is giving free health insurance to illegal immigrants — and fining US citizens without it — but cannot keep the lights on or prevent homeless people from going to the bathroom in public. Pathetic!

Marc Fourier

Manteca