WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:04.629 Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:07.730 public Participation hearing on this day, Monday, June 00:00:07.738 --> 00:00:11.989 24th 2024. Today's conference is being recorded. If 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:15.679 you object, please disconnect. Judge, judge non, you 00:00:15.689 --> 00:00:21.629 may begin. 00:00:21.629 --> 00:00:25.449 Ok, thank you operator. Um 00:00:25.449 --> 00:00:29.100 Let's be on the record. 00:00:29.100 --> 00:00:32.548 The commission will come to order. It is Monday, June 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:38.000 24th 2024 and this is a remote public participation 00:00:38.009 --> 00:00:41.520 hearing on Golden State Water Companies, general rate 00:00:41.529 --> 00:00:48.149 case application. The application number is 23-08 dash 00:00:48.158 --> 00:00:55.009 010. My name is Amin Moon and I am the assigned administrative 00:00:55.020 --> 00:00:58.368 law judge to this proceeding. I'm joined on the line 00:00:58.380 --> 00:01:01.609 by the assigned commissioner, Commissioner Darcy Darcy 00:01:01.618 --> 00:01:05.290 Hu uh Commissioner Hauck. Would you like to make any 00:01:05.299 --> 00:01:08.948 opening remarks? 00:01:08.948 --> 00:01:11.918 Thank you, Judge. Um Just wanted to let folks know 00:01:11.930 --> 00:01:15.079 that I appreciate them taking the time to join us this 00:01:15.088 --> 00:01:19.338 evening. Um and to provide comments and feedback, um 00:01:19.349 --> 00:01:25.859 we know that the issues addressed in the um 00:01:25.859 --> 00:01:28.930 to be on cameras. I'm traveling today, but I am on 00:01:28.939 --> 00:01:32.129 the line and I am listening and so with that, I just 00:01:32.138 --> 00:01:36.058 wanna thank um our staff, the judge, the parties for 00:01:36.069 --> 00:01:39.510 their participation tonight and um, look forward to 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:42.019 hearing from everyone and I'll turn it back to you 00:01:42.028 --> 00:01:44.620 judge. 00:01:44.620 --> 00:01:48.099 Ok. Uh, thank you, Commissioner. 00:01:48.099 --> 00:01:50.849 The purpose of today's hearing is for the commission 00:01:50.859 --> 00:01:54.650 to hear from Golden State Water Company customers and 00:01:54.659 --> 00:01:59.120 members of the public about this application. I'll 00:01:59.129 --> 00:02:01.760 begin by providing some background on the California 00:02:01.769 --> 00:02:04.730 Public Utilities Commission and the general rate case 00:02:04.739 --> 00:02:07.939 application if you're participating today and would 00:02:07.948 --> 00:02:11.879 like to provide public comment. Please press star one 00:02:11.889 --> 00:02:15.050 on your phone at this time to alert the operator who 00:02:15.058 --> 00:02:19.069 will begin to queue public speakers one at a time. 00:02:20.088 --> 00:02:22.449 Now, some background on the California Public Utilities 00:02:22.460 --> 00:02:25.849 Commission. The Public Utilities Commission is the 00:02:25.860 --> 00:02:30.088 state agency that reviews applications for rate increases 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:33.210 from utilities such as Golden State Water Company. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:38.080 The commission is comprised of five commissioners who 00:02:38.088 --> 00:02:40.960 were appointed by the governor and conformed by uh 00:02:40.969 --> 00:02:45.319 confirmed by the California State Senate. As the judge 00:02:45.330 --> 00:02:48.500 in this proceeding, I manage the day to day activities 00:02:48.508 --> 00:02:52.409 of the case. The five commissioners are the ones who 00:02:52.419 --> 00:02:55.819 will decide with a vote on whether to approve the Golden 00:02:55.830 --> 00:02:59.949 State Water Company's request. My role as the judge 00:02:59.960 --> 00:03:02.740 is to evaluate all of the evidence in the proceeding 00:03:02.979 --> 00:03:05.860 and to write a proposed decision based on that evidence 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:09.599 this proposed decision will then be considered by the 00:03:09.610 --> 00:03:13.469 five commissioners who will decide whether to adopt 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:16.409 the proposed decision from the judge or to adopt their 00:03:16.419 --> 00:03:18.960 own alternate decision based on the evidence in the 00:03:18.969 --> 00:03:22.610 proceeding. The current schedule for this proceeding 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:25.819 indicates that the commission will vote on the decision 00:03:26.270 --> 00:03:31.538 in the final quarter of 2024. I'll now provide a summary 00:03:31.550 --> 00:03:36.169 of Golden State Water Company's request. Last August 00:03:36.179 --> 00:03:38.610 Golden State Water Company submitted its general rate 00:03:38.618 --> 00:03:41.979 case application seeking commission approval of their 00:03:41.990 --> 00:03:44.689 expected costs for owning and operating the company 00:03:45.118 --> 00:03:52.550 for the years. 2025 2026 and 2027. The expenses included 00:03:52.558 --> 00:03:55.679 in Golden State Water Company's application will allow 00:03:55.689 --> 00:03:58.778 Golden State Water to invest in plant property and 00:03:58.788 --> 00:04:02.050 other equipment needed to provide safe and reliable 00:04:02.058 --> 00:04:06.500 service to its customers. We're here today, we're here 00:04:06.508 --> 00:04:09.199 this evening to receive comments from the public on 00:04:09.210 --> 00:04:12.460 Golden State Water Company's request to increase rates 00:04:12.469 --> 00:04:26.899 by 22.95% in 2025 by 4.42% in 2026 and by 00:04:26.899 --> 00:04:34.059 4.57% in 2027 comments from you. The public help the 00:04:34.069 --> 00:04:36.778 Public Utilities Commission reach an informed decision 00:04:37.678 --> 00:04:41.129 The commissioners and I will pay will pay close attention 00:04:41.230 --> 00:04:43.660 to the opinions expressed during today's public hearing 00:04:45.369 --> 00:04:48.399 There is a court reporter present who will be transcribing 00:04:48.410 --> 00:04:52.420 everything that is said today. If you do speak. I ask 00:04:52.428 --> 00:04:55.088 that you speak slowly and clearly so that the reporter 00:04:55.100 --> 00:04:59.189 is able to capture everything that is said, 00:04:59.189 --> 00:05:01.850 the written transcript of today's hearing will be posted 00:05:01.858 --> 00:05:05.470 publicly on the docket card for this proceeding. In 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:08.129 addition to submitting oral comments today, written 00:05:08.139 --> 00:05:11.699 comments on Golden State Water's application may be 00:05:11.709 --> 00:05:14.798 submitted on the docket card for this proceeding by 00:05:14.809 --> 00:05:25.170 going to apps. That's A PPS dot CPUC dot C A dot 00:05:25.178 --> 00:05:37.278 gov backslash C A 2308010. As of today, we have received 00:05:37.290 --> 00:05:41.829 187 written public comments 00:05:41.829 --> 00:05:45.238 as there are many from the public who wish to speak 00:05:45.250 --> 00:05:48.689 today. I ask that each speaker limit their comments 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:52.298 to a few minutes. I will provide a more specific time 00:05:52.309 --> 00:05:55.209 limit once we have a better estimate of the number 00:05:55.220 --> 00:06:00.028 of callers as a reminder, press star one on your phone 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:03.199 now so that the operator may begin to form the speaking 00:06:03.209 --> 00:06:23.100 queue. 00:06:23.100 --> 00:06:33.738 Ok. Uh So at this time, 00:06:33.738 --> 00:06:38.509 we will be going to members of the public once again 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:41.750 to those who speak if you have not done so already 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:43.899 press star one on your phone and the operator will 00:06:43.910 --> 00:06:46.869 add you to the queue of speakers based on the number 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:49.569 of speakers currently in the queue. And to ensure everyone 00:06:49.579 --> 00:06:52.350 has the chance to provide comment. Each speaker will 00:06:52.358 --> 00:06:57.088 have a time limit of three minutes. A chime will sound 00:06:57.350 --> 00:07:00.449 when the three minutes is up. A reminder to those waiting 00:07:00.459 --> 00:07:03.209 on the phone. Please speak slowly and clearly so that 00:07:03.220 --> 00:07:06.059 the reporter is able to capture everything that is 00:07:06.069 --> 00:07:10.040 said before you begin your comment, please state and 00:07:10.048 --> 00:07:13.278 spell your name and if you'd like the city you're calling 00:07:13.290 --> 00:07:16.619 from, we will be able to hear you best. If you speak 00:07:16.629 --> 00:07:20.379 directly into your phone or headset, please avoid having 00:07:20.389 --> 00:07:22.649 your phone on speaker when you're providing comments 00:07:24.019 --> 00:07:26.519 Operator. Uh Please call on the first person in the 00:07:26.528 --> 00:07:30.319 queue. Our first public comment comes from Roger Pittman 00:07:30.329 --> 00:07:34.369 Your line is open. 00:07:34.369 --> 00:07:41.160 Hi, my name is Roger Pitman. I live in or and um 00:07:41.170 --> 00:07:46.858 comments I wanna say is my water costs right now are 00:07:46.869 --> 00:07:52.059 an average of $24 a month and I am in tier one 00:07:52.459 --> 00:07:58.399 just for my water. I bought $23,000 of synthetic grass 00:07:58.649 --> 00:08:03.470 and I take less showers than once a day just to save 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:10.459 on water with other charges. My total bill is $45 totaling 00:08:10.470 --> 00:08:17.048 $69 average per month. The other charges are two times 00:08:17.059 --> 00:08:23.028 my usage already well inflated before the new request 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:28.079 to you today. The persistent inflation that affects 00:08:28.088 --> 00:08:33.000 food, gas, et cetera is becoming a scapegoat for others 00:08:33.009 --> 00:08:38.519 to feel like well, if others can increase the rate 00:08:38.538 --> 00:08:42.779 I can do it and make more money. The last two years 00:08:42.788 --> 00:08:47.379 of rain brought great relief to all of us feeling the 00:08:47.389 --> 00:08:52.469 water company should feel great with the lakes or uh 00:08:52.479 --> 00:08:58.229 over 100%. And now they asking for an increase just 00:08:58.239 --> 00:09:02.950 like many other companies. This is persistent inflation 00:09:03.210 --> 00:09:09.009 actions. If I've ever seen it, please keep our rates 00:09:09.019 --> 00:09:14.599 the same. 00:09:14.599 --> 00:09:17.918 Thank you, Mr Pitman. 00:09:17.918 --> 00:09:21.500 Ok. Uh Our next speaker, 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:24.710 go ahead up next. Our next public comment comes from 00:09:24.719 --> 00:09:29.599 Michael Stater. 00:09:29.599 --> 00:09:33.840 Good evening. Honorable members of the board. We are 00:09:33.849 --> 00:09:38.259 opposed to awarding any increase to the Golden State 00:09:38.269 --> 00:09:43.149 Water Company. We further request the removal of the 00:09:43.158 --> 00:09:48.330 bogus drought penalty and the three tier water penalty 00:09:48.798 --> 00:09:55.009 The first tier is so low that us pen pensioners, taxpayers 00:09:55.019 --> 00:09:59.190 could take a shower on Saturday night. If we save enough 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:05.009 water, we have removed our expensive lawns, replace 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:09.330 them with expensive desert plants and landscaping. 00:10:09.808 --> 00:10:13.859 We must irrigate the hillside or face the wash out 00:10:13.869 --> 00:10:18.070 like there was on route one. Shell beach Isla Vista 00:10:18.489 --> 00:10:22.889 We also fitted our homes with all the low flow devi 00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:28.759 devices. Let me explain. Golden State Water is the 00:10:28.769 --> 00:10:35.109 Budgie Whip Company of 2024. In the past letter, they 00:10:35.119 --> 00:10:39.479 stated that the aquifer was being flooded by the salt 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:44.649 brine water from the sea. One, no one has control of 00:10:44.658 --> 00:10:48.298 that phenomenon. The age of water wells are coming 00:10:48.308 --> 00:10:53.899 to an end saying that Golden State could never find 00:10:53.908 --> 00:10:58.548 a fund a solution. It is necessary for government interact 00:10:58.908 --> 00:11:04.428 intervention. We paid for the Feather River pipe project 00:11:04.489 --> 00:11:09.700 Lopez Lake, the desal at diablo. All of these can only 00:11:09.710 --> 00:11:13.489 be administered by the government. If we fund Golden 00:11:13.500 --> 00:11:18.158 State, it will only add to the taxpayers' expense when 00:11:18.168 --> 00:11:21.320 the government needs to pay them for the equipment 00:11:22.139 --> 00:11:26.190 Golden State should politely go out of business and 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:29.798 the government should take over the entire distribution 00:11:29.899 --> 00:11:36.548 of water. Please deny Golden State any increase. Thank 00:11:36.558 --> 00:11:42.658 you. 00:11:42.658 --> 00:11:45.658 Thank you, Mr Str 00:11:45.658 --> 00:11:48.940 Operator. Can you please call the next speaker? Thank 00:11:48.950 --> 00:11:51.119 you. If you'd like to make a public comment, please 00:11:51.129 --> 00:11:54.229 press star one, unmute your phone and clearly state 00:11:54.239 --> 00:11:56.788 your name for public comment. Introduction to retract 00:11:56.798 --> 00:11:59.379 your public comment, please press star two. Our next 00:11:59.389 --> 00:12:02.058 public comment comes from Sherry Bradley. Sherry. Your 00:12:02.070 --> 00:12:07.288 line is open. Hello, my name is Sherry Bradley with 00:12:07.298 --> 00:12:13.038 an si live in the arcade district. And my concern is 00:12:13.048 --> 00:12:17.019 about the co consolidation of two districts that are 00:12:17.029 --> 00:12:21.700 not even neighboring Golden State is a mega operator 00:12:21.710 --> 00:12:26.149 in California and Arden Cordova would be influenced 00:12:26.158 --> 00:12:31.489 by. Um they have, we're a bigger population than the 00:12:31.859 --> 00:12:38.200 Kusa area in northern district. I we should not be 00:12:38.210 --> 00:12:42.168 held liable or whatever for their, the cost that they're 00:12:42.178 --> 00:12:45.820 going to require to bring that district up to grade 00:12:46.719 --> 00:12:51.808 Um Anyway, I respectfully request that they deny the 00:12:51.820 --> 00:12:54.379 consolidation of two ne two districts that are not 00:12:54.389 --> 00:13:00.399 even neighbors. Um It, it's as if Golden State is trying 00:13:00.408 --> 00:13:05.178 to become a no monopoly in California, so I'm against 00:13:05.190 --> 00:13:09.649 the consolidation. Um 00:13:09.649 --> 00:13:13.379 I think my district has done a good job and I sympathize 00:13:13.389 --> 00:13:15.908 for the people that are further out with bigger problems 00:13:16.769 --> 00:13:20.340 Thank you. 00:13:20.340 --> 00:13:25.940 Thank you, Miss Bradley. 00:13:25.940 --> 00:13:28.700 Once again, I just want to let those know that are 00:13:28.710 --> 00:13:32.129 listening or if you'd like to make a comment, please 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:41.109 press star one. 00:13:41.109 --> 00:13:44.099 Our next public comment comes from Russ, Patel. Russ 00:13:44.109 --> 00:13:51.440 Your line is open. 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:54.168 Hi. I don't know whether you said Ras Patel if there's 00:13:54.178 --> 00:13:56.769 another Rs Patel out there. But my name is Rash began 00:13:56.899 --> 00:14:02.649 Patel and I'm, I'm with the, with the caller, the first 00:14:02.658 --> 00:14:06.500 caller that said, look, half of the bill is total fees 00:14:06.509 --> 00:14:10.668 and charges. And I'm wondering where is this money 00:14:10.678 --> 00:14:15.009 going into? Is it going into? I know we're, we're close 00:14:15.019 --> 00:14:18.590 to back and forth in a drought situation or we have 00:14:18.599 --> 00:14:21.558 good range but some, you know, we may not with our 00:14:21.570 --> 00:14:26.519 future is not that certain. Uh So what is the, what 00:14:26.529 --> 00:14:30.158 is the description? What is the actual speci specific 00:14:30.168 --> 00:14:33.928 things that are gonna go on with these increases? Because 00:14:34.139 --> 00:14:38.139 is this increases going on to the CEO salaries? Are 00:14:38.149 --> 00:14:40.779 these increases? How much of it is going to see your 00:14:40.788 --> 00:14:44.298 salaries on these increases? How much of it is going 00:14:44.308 --> 00:14:48.859 into sea level salaries? Is there a an understanding 00:14:48.869 --> 00:14:52.979 on that or is it going into building the infrastructure 00:14:53.190 --> 00:14:58.109 to fi to, to allow for our future drought issues that 00:14:58.119 --> 00:15:02.288 might come but that keep biting us on a regular basis 00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:07.649 So is that if uh if it's going to the salaries, I 00:15:07.658 --> 00:15:11.379 am not, this increase is not worth it. It's not worth 00:15:11.389 --> 00:15:13.960 it to increase your salaries because our salaries are 00:15:13.969 --> 00:15:18.038 not that much of an increase. So that's where my contention 00:15:18.048 --> 00:15:22.399 lies here. Uh I'm ok if you wanna uh charge more because 00:15:22.408 --> 00:15:26.769 there is a situation in California that because of 00:15:26.779 --> 00:15:30.239 all these political situations, we have not recognized 00:15:30.250 --> 00:15:33.629 the, the global warming standards that are global warming 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:36.590 impacts that are coming in. That's, and, and we have 00:15:36.599 --> 00:15:39.590 to pay for that because we don't recognize it. So we 00:15:39.599 --> 00:15:43.178 pay for it this way. But if these salaries are going 00:15:43.190 --> 00:15:46.750 to see your salaries, if this, I'm sorry, these increases 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:49.798 are going to see your salaries. I I don't iii I wanna 00:15:49.808 --> 00:15:53.109 deny this request. Thank you very much for with due 00:15:53.119 --> 00:15:58.190 respect. Thank you for listening to me. 00:15:58.190 --> 00:16:03.769 Thank you, Mr Patel. 00:16:03.769 --> 00:16:06.250 If you'd like to leave a public comment, please press 00:16:06.259 --> 00:16:09.139 star one, unmute your phone and clearly state your 00:16:09.149 --> 00:16:27.820 name for public comment. Introduction one moment. 00:16:27.820 --> 00:16:31.320 Ok, at this time, um it looks like we don't have any 00:16:31.330 --> 00:16:34.440 callers in the queue. So what I'm gonna do is we're 00:16:34.450 --> 00:16:39.000 gonna briefly uh take a pause, give uh callers the 00:16:39.009 --> 00:16:44.889 opportunity to call in and a 00:16:44.889 --> 00:16:48.070 so let's be off the record. I understand that we have 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:50.408 a caller on the line operator. Can you please call 00:16:50.418 --> 00:16:52.178 on him? 00:16:52.178 --> 00:16:54.750 Our next public comment comes from Laura. Laura, your 00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:57.190 line is open. Can you please state your last name? 00:16:58.529 --> 00:17:06.108 Laura Wilson. 00:17:06.108 --> 00:17:09.708 Go ahead. Laura, your line is open. 00:17:09.708 --> 00:17:13.067 My concern is that people have been cutting back on 00:17:13.077 --> 00:17:16.438 water usage the last three plus years because of drought 00:17:16.448 --> 00:17:22.170 conditions. So the water company is possibly getting 00:17:22.180 --> 00:17:26.130 less revenue due to this is this increase, how they 00:17:26.140 --> 00:17:31.029 make up for lost revenue? And if we're doing our part 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:35.348 to cut back our water usage, we shouldn't be penalized 00:17:35.358 --> 00:17:41.838 for that by a rate increase. And my concern is how 00:17:41.848 --> 00:17:45.759 will people react to this and what will they do to 00:17:45.769 --> 00:17:50.539 continue to help the environment by cutting back on 00:17:50.549 --> 00:17:53.410 their usage? I mean, I took out my lawns to conserve 00:17:53.420 --> 00:17:56.670 water, but yet there's other places that are being 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:59.989 developed with houses that are gonna take more water 00:18:00.410 --> 00:18:04.750 The groundwater is being used by this water company 00:18:05.250 --> 00:18:10.009 but there's no other alternatives as far as desalinization 00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:15.068 plants in our area or water that's being brought in 00:18:15.078 --> 00:18:20.449 from other areas through reservoirs that could help 00:18:20.459 --> 00:18:26.049 with that. And not that I wanna change our water systems 00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:31.000 of lakes and rivers and flow. But it's a concern of 00:18:31.009 --> 00:18:35.259 mine. If we're going to keep increasing, converting 00:18:35.269 --> 00:18:39.250 lands to grape vines, avocados, strawberries, all of 00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:43.529 these take large amount of water and my own garden 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:46.598 and fruit trees are suffering because I restricted 00:18:46.608 --> 00:18:50.180 their water and I want food for our entire nation. 00:18:50.189 --> 00:18:54.818 But it's hard if our area is under drought conditions 00:18:54.828 --> 00:19:00.630 and we're told to conserve water. And yet I see neighborhoods 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:07.059 with lush green lawns and big farming corporations 00:19:07.068 --> 00:19:10.209 that are using tremendous amounts of water. So it's 00:19:10.219 --> 00:19:14.838 hard to accept this type of water increase when many 00:19:14.848 --> 00:19:18.239 people are really doing their very best to conserve 00:19:18.250 --> 00:19:24.759 So I am not in favor of this increase. Thank you. 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:28.078 Thank you, Miss Wilson operator. Can you please call 00:19:28.088 --> 00:19:31.078 the next speaker? Our next public comment comes from 00:19:31.088 --> 00:19:35.059 Michael Larkin. Your line is open. 00:19:35.059 --> 00:19:38.559 Uh Hello, good evening, everyone. I appreciate you 00:19:38.828 --> 00:19:42.779 giving the opportunity to comment here. Number one 00:19:44.068 --> 00:19:47.199 I'm shocked by the low participation. I don't know 00:19:47.209 --> 00:19:50.848 whether it's a failure for the reach out from Golden 00:19:50.858 --> 00:19:55.019 State Water or the utilities commission. But I, I thought 00:19:55.029 --> 00:19:57.410 there'd be a lot more people on the phone. I'm disappointed 00:19:57.420 --> 00:20:03.049 in that obviously. So, are you uh Number two, I got 00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:05.769 six people in my household. My normal Golden State 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:11.269 water bill is probably 250 to $300 a month. That's 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:15.229 what very restricted watering of the lawn and cutting 00:20:15.239 --> 00:20:19.108 back on number of showers that everyone takes. Uh, 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:22.559 the third comment is 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:24.939 about a little over a year ago. Southern California 00:20:24.949 --> 00:20:30.500 gas, my gas bill, uh, excuse me that gas co my bill 00:20:30.509 --> 00:20:34.420 in February went from 100 and $50 a month to $700 a 00:20:34.430 --> 00:20:42.049 month. And the reason stated was that the gas company 00:20:42.059 --> 00:20:50.789 failed to plan for their inventory and therefore 00:20:50.789 --> 00:20:54.029 hundreds of thousands of Californians paid exorbitant 00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:59.479 numbers for their gas use back a year ago. I don't 00:20:59.489 --> 00:21:02.358 I'm not sure how that got through the Public Utilities 00:21:02.368 --> 00:21:05.858 Commission, but somehow it did 00:21:05.858 --> 00:21:10.209 fourthly Golden State Water. I was also shocked when 00:21:10.219 --> 00:21:16.989 I saw the pricing uh request with a 23% increase for 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:22.640 this next fiscal year followed by more or less from 00:21:22.650 --> 00:21:26.410 my point of view, reasonable increases in the subsequent 00:21:26.420 --> 00:21:29.949 years. So all I can do is urge the commission to carefully 00:21:29.959 --> 00:21:34.689 study all the pricing assumptions that built up to 00:21:34.699 --> 00:21:38.949 a 23% increase. As we all know, inflation has gone 00:21:38.959 --> 00:21:42.299 crazy in this country, particularly at the supermarkets 00:21:42.309 --> 00:21:47.000 And now also with the utilities and uh I just urge 00:21:47.009 --> 00:21:49.439 the commission to carefully look at the assumptions 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:52.900 Uh This is a huge hit for the consumers if it's allowed 00:21:52.910 --> 00:21:56.348 to go through. So thank you for your time and that's 00:21:56.358 --> 00:21:59.858 all I have to say. Thank you. 00:21:59.858 --> 00:22:06.559 Thank you, Mister Larkin. 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:09.140 I have no additional public comments at this time. 00:22:16.219 --> 00:22:22.529 Ok. Thank you uh operator. 00:22:22.529 --> 00:22:25.348 We'll be standing by for another five minutes in the 00:22:25.358 --> 00:22:28.868 event that others intend to call in. In the meantime 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:31.868 uh we'll be off the record. We're returning from a 00:22:31.880 --> 00:22:35.689 brief five minute recess. I understand that we have 00:22:35.699 --> 00:22:38.160 an additional caller on the line. Operator. Can you 00:22:38.170 --> 00:22:41.380 please call on them? Our next public comment comes 00:22:41.390 --> 00:22:46.088 from David Malina. Your line is open. 00:22:46.088 --> 00:22:49.039 Hi. Uh I am just calling to say I just moved to 00:22:49.049 --> 00:22:51.709 the area about six months ago and it didn't take me 00:22:51.719 --> 00:22:55.670 long to realize even with drought tolerant landscaping 00:22:56.009 --> 00:23:00.430 that water is my largest utility bill. And I realized 00:23:00.439 --> 00:23:02.640 I'm part of the problem because I'm new to the area 00:23:02.650 --> 00:23:06.650 and new housing. But at the same time, uh you know 00:23:06.660 --> 00:23:09.368 I look at the California Public Utilities Commission 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.269 with a couple different angles. I, I've dealt with 00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:16.868 the CPUC uh as a vendor and supplier to the public 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:21.578 utility and you guys are in a tough position, you know 00:23:21.588 --> 00:23:23.670 you're here to serve the people, but you're also here 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:27.939 to serve, uh, you know, the, the utility to a degree 00:23:28.229 --> 00:23:32.449 And my hope is that as you evaluate everything that 00:23:32.459 --> 00:23:37.160 you come to a conclusion that possibly a rate increase 00:23:37.170 --> 00:23:40.029 is ok, but certainly not the level that Golden State 00:23:40.039 --> 00:23:43.979 Water is looking for. Um, I, I'm greatly concerned 00:23:43.989 --> 00:23:47.098 when I see numbers like that. It feels like it's almost 00:23:47.108 --> 00:23:50.348 uh a bartering position. It, hey, we're gonna throw 00:23:50.358 --> 00:23:52.858 up high and we're gonna have something, you know, in 00:23:52.868 --> 00:23:57.279 the 1718 20% range and we're gonna, you know, p and 00:23:57.289 --> 00:24:00.229 shower and be all upset if we don't get what we want 00:24:00.618 --> 00:24:04.400 So, um I realized Golden State Water needs to make 00:24:04.410 --> 00:24:09.229 money. I realized that to attain uh human resources 00:24:09.239 --> 00:24:11.858 that cost has gone up for health insurance, that's 00:24:11.868 --> 00:24:15.160 all gone up. So I, I understand all that, that part 00:24:15.170 --> 00:24:19.338 of business in 2024 but not to the degree that they're 00:24:19.348 --> 00:24:22.769 seeking. And I would hope that it's kept certainly 00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:27.180 well within single digits, uh, as low as possible in 00:24:27.189 --> 00:24:31.979 the single digits. And, uh, just one final note, uh 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:37.539 you know, the, the utilities, someone alluded to the 00:24:37.549 --> 00:24:40.868 fact that when you look at the bill, your water consumption 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:43.469 is not the biggest part of your bill is all the additional 00:24:43.479 --> 00:24:49.348 fees and, and different, you know, taxes and it, it 00:24:49.358 --> 00:24:52.848 just really gets it, it's ridiculous when you look 00:24:52.858 --> 00:24:56.949 at it and, uh, you know, there's a lot of people that 00:24:56.959 --> 00:25:00.209 are hurting and I would hope that the, you know, CPUC 00:25:00.219 --> 00:25:06.459 takes that into account. Thank you. 00:25:06.459 --> 00:25:12.380 Thank you, Mr Molina. 00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:15.358 I have no additional public comments at this time. 00:25:25.858 --> 00:25:29.880 Ok. Uh So one thing I want to note to those listening 00:25:30.608 --> 00:25:37.108 um or to those that view this hearing after we have 00:25:37.118 --> 00:25:41.199 adjourned is that there is an opportunity uh to submit 00:25:41.209 --> 00:25:48.729 a written comment, you can do so by going to a PPS 00:25:48.739 --> 00:26:00.729 dot CPUC dot C a.gov backslash c backslash A 2308010 00:26:02.029 --> 00:26:05.209 There's an opportunity for customers of Golden State 00:26:05.219 --> 00:26:09.160 Water Company to leave a written public comment uh 00:26:09.170 --> 00:26:13.949 for the commission's review. 00:26:13.949 --> 00:26:16.799 That's my understanding that we do not have any additional 00:26:16.809 --> 00:26:20.358 callers on the line. 00:26:20.358 --> 00:26:24.029 So I'd like to thank everyone who, who uh participated 00:26:24.039 --> 00:26:26.509 today. If you would like to provide additional comments 00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:30.670 Once again, you can do so on 00:26:30.670 --> 00:26:33.750 line. Uh, at the website, I noted a few minutes ago 00:26:35.868 --> 00:26:38.410 for assistance with providing additional comments. 00:26:38.650 --> 00:26:41.489 Uh You may contact the commission's public adviser's 00:26:41.500 --> 00:26:49.189 office at public Advisor at CPUC dot C a.gov. 00:26:49.189 --> 00:26:51.729 Uh This concludes this evening's public participation 00:26:51.739 --> 00:26:54.660 hearing will now be off the record.