WEBVTT

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Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission

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public Participation hearing on this day, Tuesday,

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June 25th, 2024.

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Today's conference is being recorded. If you object

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please disconnect your honor. You may begin.

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Ok, thank you operator.

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Let's be on the record. The commission will come to

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order. It is Tuesday, June 25th, 2024. And this is

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a remote public participation hearing on Golden State

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Water Company's General rate case application. The

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application number is 23-08 dash 010. My name is Amir

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Noon and I am the assigned administrative law judge

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to this proceeding. Commissioner Hu uh is the assigned

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commissioner. She is not on the line with us today

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but she will be reviewing the transcript from today's

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hearing and I will be going over the feedback we received

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today with her.

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The purpose of today's hearing is for the commission

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to hear from Golden State Water Company customers and

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members of the public about this application. I'll

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begin by providing some background on the California

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Public Utilities Commission and the general rate case

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application

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if you are participating today and you would like to

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make public comments. Please press star one on your

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phone at this time to alert the operator who will begin

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to queue public speakers one at a time. Now, some background

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on the California Public Utilities Commission. The

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Public Utilities Commission is the state agency that

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reviews applications for rate increases from utilities

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such as Golden State Water Company. The commission

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is comprised of five commissioners who were appointed

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by the governor and confirmed by the California State

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Senate as the judge in this proceeding, I manage the

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day to day activities of the case. The five commissioners

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are the ones who will decide with a vote on whether

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to approve Golden State Water Company's request. My

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role of the judge is to evaluate all the evidence in

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the proceeding and to write a proposed decision based

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on that evidence, this proposed decision will then

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be considered by the five commissioners who will decide

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whether to adopt the proposed decision from the judge

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or to adopt their own alternate decision based on the

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evidence in the proceeding.

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The current schedule for this proceeding indicates

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that the commission will vote on the decision in this

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proceeding in the final quarter of 2024. Now I'll provide

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a summary of Golden State Water Company's application

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Last August Golden State Water Company submitted its

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general rate case application seeking commission approval

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of their expected costs for owning and operating the

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company for the years. 2025 2026 and 2027. The expenses

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included

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in Golden State Water Company's application will allow

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Golden State Water to invest in plant property and

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other equipment needed to provide safe and reliable

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service to its customers.

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We're here today to receive comments from the public

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on Golden State Water Company's request to increase

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rates by 22.95% in 2025 by 4.42% in 2026 and by 4.57%

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in 2027 comments from you. Members of the public help

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the Public Utilities Commission reach an informed decision

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The commissioners and I will pay close attention to

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the opinions expressed during today's public hearing

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Please note there is a court reporter present who will

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be transcribing everything that is said today if you

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do speak, I ask that you speak slowly and clearly so

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that the reporter is able to capture everything that

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is said.

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The written transcript of today's hearing will be posted

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publicly on the docket card for this proceeding. In

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addition to submitting oral comments today, written

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comments on Golden State Water's application may be

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submitted on the docket card for this proceeding by

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going to A PPS dot CPUC dot C a.gov backslash c backslash

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A 2308010.

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As of today, we have received approximately 187 written

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public comments are there as there are many from the

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public who wish to speak today. I ask that each speaker

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limit their comments to a few minutes. I will provide

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a more specific time limit once we have a better estimation

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of the number of callers as a reminder, press star

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one on your phone now so that the operator may begin

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to form the speaking to.

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Ok. Um We will now hear from members of the public

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Um The operator will add you to the queue of speakers

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once you press star one based on the number of speakers

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currently in the queue and to ensure everyone has the

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chance to provide comment, each speaker will have a

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time limit of three minutes. A chime will be sounded

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when the three minutes is up. A reminder to those waiting

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on the phone. Please speak slowly and clearly so that

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the reporter is able to capture everything that is

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said before you begin your comment, please state and

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spell your name and if you'd like the city you're calling

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from, we will be able to hear you best if you speak

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directly into your phone or headset and please avoid

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having your phone on speaker. When you're providing

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comment operator, please call on the first person in

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the queue. Our first public comment comes from Rhonda

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Lindberg, Rhonda. Your line is open. Thank you. I am

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Rhonda Lindberg Rhond, a last name Lin DB er GH and

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I am from Hawaiian Gardens, California resident. My

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comment is, I am a 73 year old widow living on a

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fixed income and this is such a high, high rate of

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increase. I sit in the dark at night to watch TV, to

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save on electric. And I collect rainwater all winter

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long and I use it for everything except taking a shower

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I purify it and I get it alkaline. I have a system

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I can do that if I can figure out how to use

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rainwater. I don't understand why you people can't

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do that in collecting the rainwater that goes down

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the channel into the ocean. And that's my question

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Thank you.

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Ok, thank you, Mr Lindberg.

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Our next public comment comes from

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Diane. Your line is open.

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Hi. Um I just want to make a comment that the bill

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is very high. Um Yeah, and we cannot afford it. If

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you can make it a little bit lower, it will be good

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Excuse me? Can the speaker state and spell her name

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for the reporter, please? Thank you. Uh Gayane,

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I just said that that the bill is high. If, if it's

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possible, we could like we would like to make it down

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Ok, thank you, ma'am.

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Public comment comes from Mark Sullivan. Your line

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is open.

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Hi, good evening. Uh This is uh Mark Sullivan here

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Uh Just one simple question about the uh the uh the

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uh increase in cost uh monthly cost from the Golden

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State Water Company bill. If uh if somewhere it's accessible

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a uh uh for the public, an itemized list of where exactly

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the pay increases are going to. And that's it. And

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again, my name is Mark Ma RK Sullivan Sullivn. I live

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in Hawthorne, California.

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Um Mr Sullivan. Uh if you can see the webcast, we have

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uh contact information uh regarding the application

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Um I would recommend uh reaching out to the representative

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from the company and they can either provide you with

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the information or direct you to the appropriate source

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Ok. You're talking about the 1 800 number. I can access

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an itemized list of what the pay increases are through

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the 1 800 number. I apologize to take your time here

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but

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there's a 909 area code number on the Webcast. Uh ok

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I would recommend starting there. She read it out to

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you. It's 9093943600 extension 656. And the contact

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person is listed as John Pierotti P I er O TT I

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Ok. Thank you

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making a solving. Oh,

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our next public comment comes from

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R.

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Hi. My name is L Le.

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I'm sorry. Uh Sir, can you please spell that for the

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court reporter? Yes. Uh Z Ray Vines Hr A Yray is the

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last name I am a resident living in presents. My comment

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is the rate increase request is very unreasonable.

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Everybody is living, lots of people are living in a

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very fixed income including me. I'm 75 year old.

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This kind of uh I increase is very unreasonable. Nobody

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is getting this kind of raise. The cost of living,

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living increase already is wiped out in a, in a medical

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cost uh increase. So commission should commissioners

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should, should look very carefully and, and decide

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that in the last two years, it's been raining so heavily

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All the lakes are full. Why our rates are going so

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high rates should come down, not going up.

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Uh That, that, that's the only comment I have.

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Thank you, Mr Ray.

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If you'd like to make a public comment, please press

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star one, unmute your phone and clearly state your

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name for public comment. Introduction to retract your

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public comment. Please press star two. Our next public

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comment comes from Kun Ying, Dan Lee.

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Good evening. Your honor. My name is Kun Ying Lee spelled

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K Un Ying. Last name is Lee Lee and I am a

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resident of Placentia.

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First of all, uh we would like to say that we do

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recognize that the Golden State Water Company um does

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need to make certain capital improvements, especially

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relating to ensuring uh a stable and safe water supply

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system. And there's also an increased cost in purchasing

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water from out of state. So we do recognize those factors

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as well as the need to ask for a rate increase. However

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the rate increase schedule here is very front, heavy

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and very aggressive I am hesitant to say, but I would

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like to say that the first year increase of 25% is

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almost unconscionable. Um Again, I know there are justifications

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uh put forth by the applicant. Um I have been trying

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to do a little benchmark as to other comparable water

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districts and their approved increase. I have not been

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able to do that. Um I will continue to do that and

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to the extent I can um submit um those data um to

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your own as well as the commissioners uh for tonight

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Um Just echoing the sentiment of other speakers, I

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am asking the administrative law judge to exercise

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your administrative authority, um uh um perhaps under

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the Administrative Procedural Act um to have close

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scrutiny of this rate increase plan. Again, we're not

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asking for any wholesale denial of the plan, but perhaps

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you can reform the plan and have the increase more

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evenly spread out right now. First year of 25% 2nd

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year of 4%. As anyone can see that is a very big

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drop. And also we're concerned that even if this is

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approved, the applicant might come back next year,

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you know, again, I don't know under what authority

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to ask for another increase. So again, times are tough

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as the other applicants have mentioned. So we're asking

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um your honor as well as the commissioners to put yourself

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in our shoes, you know, working class families throughout

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the service area. And take close administrative and

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judicial scrutiny at the application to see exactly

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what are the expenses and the improvements that are

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needed for this coming year? And what are those that

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can be deferred and hopefully that you will reach a

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conclusion of reforming this application so that the

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increases are more evenly spread out as to lessen the

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impact on the working class families located in the

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service area. I thank you for your consideration.

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Thank you, Mister Lee.

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Next public comment comes from Gabriel Hug Hosa. Your

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line is open.

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Hello, my name is Gabriel Hinojosa spelled Gabrielhinoj

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OS A, I am a resident and customer from the city of

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Belt California. I would like to bring it to your honor's

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attention and, and the commissioners and all those

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that are listening that a Golden State Water Company

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is a subsidiary of a larger company uh by the name

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of American State Water Company. They are a publicly

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traded company uh with a stock monitor and as such

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have to release all of their financial statements.

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Uh And so a search of the financial statements uh exposed

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to me um that Golden State Water Company accounts for

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82.4% of their earnings per share that they share with

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their stockholders. Um and that was for the last year

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2023. Uh a good portion of that, believe it or not

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actually came from the contested last general rate

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increase, uh which accounted for 41 cents per share

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Uh Just to give you an idea, the entire company uh

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paid its stock holders $3.36 last year. $2.77. Give

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me 11 moment, please. I wanna make sure that we're

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able to capture all of your feedback. So if you can

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please speak a little bit slower for the benefit of

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the reporters, I will do. I love that. Um How far should

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I go back? You can resume where you are? Ok. Um As

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I was saying, uh of the $3.36 that were paid in stock

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dividends last year to the stockholders, $2.70 came

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directly from the Golden State Water Company. Now.

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Um Golden State Water Company uh boasts on their website

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that they uh continue to outpace the stock market for

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long to long term stockholder returns uh to the point

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that they are the top performer out of the eight publicly

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traded water utility companies in the United States

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for the year 2023. They also boast that they were the

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third best uh out of the 10 in the past 10 years

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when they compounded their annual return, which ended

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up being 13%. And they compared that to the S and P

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500 which are the top 500 companies in the United States

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with only return 12%. They basically stay on there

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that if you would have invested $1000 at the end of

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2013, you would have gotten a return of more than $3399

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by the end of the year 2023. To the point that an

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internet search will let you see that they referred

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to this comp their parent company as a dividend king

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because they boast more than 69 years of returns on

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their investment for the stockholders in their company

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A simple search of their stock mo A wr will let you

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see that they have over $2.6 billion worth of market

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capital and they closed their stock yesterday at $71.77

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Meaning to say that there are over 37 million stockholders

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that start the 41% per share that was approved late

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on this year that corresponded to the year 2022 accounted

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for over $30 million. So it's easy to see why 41 cents

00:18:54.219 --> 00:18:57.568
per share went directly to the stockholders that which

00:18:57.578 --> 00:19:02.489
are 37 million, over 37 million. So I just like to

00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:05.088
say that I, I see a direct correlation between the

00:19:05.098 --> 00:19:08.459
rate increases and the, the dividends that are being

00:19:08.469 --> 00:19:14.039
paid to the stockholders.

00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:19.279
Ok. Thank you for your comment. Ok.

00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:23.890
Our next public comment comes from Rafael Bracero,

00:19:28.959 --> 00:19:33.259
uh commissioners, uh guest, I wanted to, uh, I'm a

00:19:33.269 --> 00:19:38.348
resident of uh Hawthorn, a homeowner Um, and there

00:19:38.358 --> 00:19:40.578
would, would you mind spelling your last name for us

00:19:40.588 --> 00:19:44.479
please? Absolutely. Uh, well, first name is R A fa

00:19:44.489 --> 00:19:52.479
L, last name is BR AC as in Cobra. Er, O,

00:19:52.479 --> 00:19:55.930
thank you. So, I'm a long time resident of Los Angeles

00:19:55.939 --> 00:20:01.750
and a, a homeowner, uh, in, uh, Hawthorn. And the double

00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:04.578
digit increases, uh, which I, somebody stated that

00:20:04.588 --> 00:20:08.259
were 23. I, I actually thought they were, uh, the 30%

00:20:08.269 --> 00:20:14.019
plus uh for uh for increases were definitely very unreasonable

00:20:14.029 --> 00:20:18.680
Um And I think they should probably be uh somewhat

00:20:18.689 --> 00:20:22.759
more uh slowly faced in. Um And I think the prior,

00:20:23.009 --> 00:20:26.420
the prior caller made some important points uh as as

00:20:26.430 --> 00:20:30.430
in regards to that, uh the other, the other element

00:20:30.439 --> 00:20:35.328
is uh in terms of capital improvement. Uh You know

00:20:35.338 --> 00:20:41.559
we do hear quite a bit about uh water shortages in

00:20:41.568 --> 00:20:44.199
in uh in Southern California. But then we know we've

00:20:44.209 --> 00:20:47.380
had some record rains uh in the last couple of years

00:20:47.390 --> 00:20:51.739
Uh but the rain capture capabilities um o of, of the

00:20:51.750 --> 00:20:55.559
state and, and of the region uh have really not been

00:20:55.568 --> 00:20:58.880
uh optimal uh because they probably would have solved

00:20:58.890 --> 00:21:01.318
a lot of those issues. So, uh and again, this could

00:21:01.328 --> 00:21:04.108
be a little bit out of scope of what the capital improvements

00:21:04.118 --> 00:21:08.640
are intended for here. But uh but it is fair to say

00:21:08.650 --> 00:21:13.239
that there are some opportunities to improve uh the

00:21:13.250 --> 00:21:17.779
strategic uh planning and infrastructure in those areas

00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:22.318
Um And I just wanted to have the commission uh obviously

00:21:22.328 --> 00:21:25.539
be aware that that's something that um the public is

00:21:25.549 --> 00:21:30.259
is, is uh concerned about. Um and not necessarily uh

00:21:30.269 --> 00:21:35.469
having uh these ca uh these uh rates go up so extravagantly

00:21:35.479 --> 00:21:39.250
without any more longer term planning, that will hopefully

00:21:39.259 --> 00:21:43.279
help to mitigate some of these water shortage issues

00:21:43.289 --> 00:21:46.578
that we have. Uh I think there has to be a balance

00:21:46.588 --> 00:21:50.650
So um I thank you for your time.

00:21:50.650 --> 00:21:54.219
Thank you for your comment.

00:21:54.219 --> 00:21:56.699
If you'd like to make a public comment, please press

00:21:56.709 --> 00:21:59.949
star one, unmute your phone and clearly state your

00:21:59.959 --> 00:22:03.229
name for public comment. Introduction. Our next public

00:22:03.239 --> 00:22:13.410
comment comes from Avenida Mendoza.

00:22:13.410 --> 00:22:16.170
Hello,

00:22:16.170 --> 00:22:19.939
your your, your line is open.

00:22:19.939 --> 00:22:27.939
Ok. My name is Adelmira Mendoza ad A LM Ira Mendoz

00:22:27.949 --> 00:22:34.858
A. Ok. My concern is um that you have several increases

00:22:34.868 --> 00:22:39.239
on the several years and as it is, um I'm a single

00:22:39.250 --> 00:22:43.759
mother. So like I said as it is, I'm living paycheck

00:22:43.890 --> 00:22:48.848
to paycheck. Could you be just more generous and give

00:22:49.019 --> 00:22:53.989
us your one increase? But uh like one that can we all

00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:59.799
afford? Um That's it. That's my concern. Thank you

00:22:59.809 --> 00:23:02.479
for listening.

00:23:02.479 --> 00:23:06.420
Thank you, Miss Mendoza.

00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:09.618
Our next public comment comes from Carol Lee Francisco

00:23:12.689 --> 00:23:15.269
Yes. Hello.

00:23:15.269 --> 00:23:20.108
Can you hear me? Your line is open? Yes, we can. Ok

00:23:20.410 --> 00:23:27.309
Um What I Carle Caralee, last name Francisco as in

00:23:27.318 --> 00:23:33.880
San Francisco. Um My main my question is, um, why are

00:23:33.890 --> 00:23:39.150
we doing the, um, why are we raising this cost? Uh

00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:43.150
so high? I am with everybody. It's, it's a bit high

00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:47.500
It's deep, it's asking quite a bit from your customers

00:23:47.969 --> 00:23:52.509
So I was wondering perhaps if you could just even it

00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:56.959
out. So it wouldn't be so high in the beginning and

00:23:56.969 --> 00:24:00.500
just, just, just make it one even stuff so that people

00:24:00.509 --> 00:24:06.039
don't feel the, the, the cost as much. And that's all

00:24:06.049 --> 00:24:10.660
I have to say.

00:24:10.660 --> 00:24:14.400
Thank you, Miss Francisco.

00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:16.920
If you'd like to make a public comment, please press

00:24:16.930 --> 00:24:20.000
star one unmute your phone and clearly state your name

00:24:20.009 --> 00:24:22.890
for public comment. Introduction. Our next public comment

00:24:22.900 --> 00:24:27.559
comes from Abdul Karim dotman. Your line is open.

00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:31.519
Yes, sir. My name is Abdul Karim, the Notman. I own

00:24:31.529 --> 00:24:39.818
a property in London and uh the, the Golden uh state

00:24:39.828 --> 00:24:45.868
Water Company uh is charging me around $500. I own

00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:50.699
the same property in hot and they charge me only $200

00:24:51.239 --> 00:24:54.598
The same with the public service for the same blue

00:24:54.608 --> 00:25:00.239
container in London. They charge me 450 the same blue

00:25:00.250 --> 00:25:06.019
container in hot and they only 200. It's the long day

00:25:06.029 --> 00:25:10.019
It seems to be the grave. We are for investors. We

00:25:10.029 --> 00:25:15.390
are being too much for the uh Republic for the trust

00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:18.789
service and for the water service more than double

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:22.979
than the city of H I mean, this is a shame for

00:25:22.989 --> 00:25:28.858
a London uh uh executive and the responsible authority

00:25:29.088 --> 00:25:34.890
to let this happen. Make please make Lond invit for

00:25:34.900 --> 00:25:37.739
investors.

00:25:37.739 --> 00:25:41.689
Thank you, sir. Can you please spell your last name

00:25:41.699 --> 00:25:44.759
for the recording? My last name is uh B as in boy

00:25:44.769 --> 00:25:48.469
E as in Edward, N as in Nancy, O as in Oscar

00:25:48.479 --> 00:25:51.858
T as in Tom, H as in Howard, M as in Mary

00:25:51.868 --> 00:25:55.209
A as in apple, N as in Nancy. My first name Abdel

00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:58.568
Karim, A as in apple, B as in boy, D as in

00:25:58.578 --> 00:26:02.469
David, E as in Edward, L as in lion, K as in

00:26:02.479 --> 00:26:06.059
kite, A as in apple,

00:26:06.059 --> 00:26:11.618
uh R as in Richard, I as in uh impact or India

00:26:11.709 --> 00:26:15.848
M as in Mary, Abdul, Karim be Oman.

00:26:15.848 --> 00:26:17.500
Thank you, sir. Alright, thank you for your coming

00:26:21.858 --> 00:26:24.559
I currently have no additional public comments at this

00:26:24.568 --> 00:26:29.078
time. Ok. Thank you operator. I just like to note to

00:26:29.088 --> 00:26:32.650
those watching the webcast or listening that if you'd

00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:36.078
like to make a comment, uh please call the number on

00:26:36.088 --> 00:26:39.828
the screen and once you're connected after entering

00:26:39.838 --> 00:26:43.848
the pass code, press star one on your phone to be added

00:26:43.858 --> 00:26:46.489
to the speakers queue.

00:26:46.489 --> 00:26:51.479
I also like to add as a reminder that the commission

00:26:51.809 --> 00:26:55.598
reviews the public comment page uh on the docket card

00:26:55.608 --> 00:26:59.789
for this proceeding. If you'd like to add a written

00:26:59.799 --> 00:27:07.088
comment on the application, please go to A PPS dot

00:27:07.098 --> 00:27:22.729
CPUC dot C a.gov backslash C backslash A 2308010.

00:27:22.729 --> 00:27:26.529
Uh Your honor. I have a, I have a new one.

00:27:26.529 --> 00:27:29.588
Go ahead operator. I have a public, another public

00:27:29.598 --> 00:27:33.209
comment.

00:27:33.209 --> 00:27:44.959
Our next public comment comes from VZ

00:27:44.959 --> 00:27:54.479
your line is open. Uh This is Vinesh Zzinesh last name

00:27:54.640 --> 00:28:00.039
Ray. I'm a resident of Pia. Uh My question to you is

00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:07.608
can we go on record in writing? And uh because lots

00:28:07.618 --> 00:28:12.130
of people are concerned because rate increase is so

00:28:12.140 --> 00:28:16.818
unreasonable. We like to see the

00:28:16.818 --> 00:28:22.789
reasoning why we are raising so much high. Obviously

00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:27.160
it it is very obvious that this kind of rate uh increase

00:28:27.170 --> 00:28:30.098
nobody can offer it.

00:28:30.098 --> 00:28:34.890
My cost of living increase already is gone in paying

00:28:34.900 --> 00:28:39.229
my insurance, health insurance. Now the auto insurance

00:28:39.239 --> 00:28:43.019
home insurance, everybody is raising so much and now

00:28:43.029 --> 00:28:49.699
this water my I'm watering my lawn only 22 days a week

00:28:49.709 --> 00:28:53.229
even though we have so much rain in the last two year

00:28:53.239 --> 00:28:56.630
all the lakes are full and still my bill is keeps going

00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:01.029
up and up and up. I don't understand how can you justify

00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:09.578
This kind of water is 30.

00:29:09.578 --> 00:29:12.630
The the the rate request, I think that this should

00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:18.150
be shut down. You know, it's very unreasonable.

00:29:18.150 --> 00:29:21.269
They, they, they should start giving some kind of discount

00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:24.259
on, on the rate not increase, you know, so much of

00:29:24.269 --> 00:29:26.689
the water, all the lakes are full, what you guys are

00:29:26.699 --> 00:29:33.029
doing, you know.

00:29:33.029 --> 00:29:35.250
Yeah, thank you. Please consider this thing and I,

00:29:35.259 --> 00:29:38.140
I would like to write down everything on, on, on a

00:29:38.150 --> 00:29:42.118
on a record because this has to go. So I'll write down

00:29:42.130 --> 00:29:47.529
is ok. Email. I have the customer service at Zs water.com

00:29:47.539 --> 00:29:53.088
Right. That's what I can, I know my reasoning or complaint

00:29:53.098 --> 00:29:59.400
or whatever I can do. Is that right?

00:29:59.400 --> 00:30:02.818
We have the customer service information listed on

00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:06.680
the screen. Um, if there's separate information listed

00:30:06.689 --> 00:30:12.789
on your bill, I'm not familiar with that. Ok. Yeah

00:30:12.818 --> 00:30:17.098
yeah, the rate rate increases even as the water bill

00:30:17.108 --> 00:30:21.160
is so high, you know, my lungs are dying and my be

00:30:21.209 --> 00:30:27.299
are going crazy up $180 100 and $90 per month. You

00:30:27.309 --> 00:30:29.539
know, this is a very, very unreasonable, nobody can

00:30:29.568 --> 00:30:33.380
afford this kind of and I I water three minutes per

00:30:33.420 --> 00:30:37.529
station only two days a week and we are only two people

00:30:38.219 --> 00:30:43.529
living in this house.

00:30:43.529 --> 00:30:49.229
Thank you. Thank you. So,

00:30:49.229 --> 00:30:51.838
and currently currently your honor. I have no additional

00:30:51.848 --> 00:30:54.979
public comments.

00:30:54.979 --> 00:30:58.439
Ok. So, uh, what we'll do at this point is, uh, we

00:30:58.449 --> 00:31:01.759
will take a five minute pause. Uh If folks would like

00:31:01.769 --> 00:31:05.880
to make a comment, please call and press star one or

00:31:05.890 --> 00:31:09.739
resume in five minutes and go from there. Uh, in the

00:31:09.750 --> 00:31:12.799
meantime, let's be off the record.

00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:17.640
You are on hold first.

00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:20.509
Ok, thank you. And, uh, are the reporters ready to

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:22.969
go?

00:31:22.969 --> 00:31:27.539
That said I'm ready? Ok, great. Um, let's be on the

00:31:27.549 --> 00:31:29.868
record.

00:31:29.868 --> 00:31:33.180
We're coming back from a five minute break to see if

00:31:33.189 --> 00:31:35.809
we have any new callers. It's my understanding that

00:31:35.818 --> 00:31:38.479
there is no one else on the line operator. Can you

00:31:38.489 --> 00:31:42.289
confirm please? I have no additional public comments

00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:47.880
at this time. Ok.

00:31:47.880 --> 00:31:50.269
And once again, I'd like to note that uh for those

00:31:50.279 --> 00:31:53.189
who are interested in making a written comment, you

00:31:53.199 --> 00:32:00.009
can go to the following website A PPS dot CPUC dot

00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:18.759
C a.gov backslash c backslash A 2308 010.

00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:21.868
Ok. Noting there are no additional callers on the line

00:32:21.880 --> 00:32:24.539
I'd like to thank everyone who participated today,

00:32:27.789 --> 00:32:30.250
the assistance, providing additional public comments

00:32:30.529 --> 00:32:35.489
Uh Please contact the commissions. Uh ok. It's my understanding

00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:38.098
We have a caller on the line.

00:32:38.098 --> 00:32:42.910
Our next public comment comes from

00:32:42.910 --> 00:32:46.799
Greg Greg Hilla.

00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:51.828
I'm a private citizen.

00:32:51.828 --> 00:32:56.818
Am I uh permitted to speak now your life, sir? Please

00:32:56.828 --> 00:33:01.618
please go ahead. Yes, I simply wanna say that uh uh

00:33:01.630 --> 00:33:06.368
I live in the Emerald Square uh area in uh Gardena

00:33:06.380 --> 00:33:11.640
and it was a new community about uh 2324 years ago

00:33:11.650 --> 00:33:15.858
And I don't know whether, you know, our rates are rather

00:33:15.868 --> 00:33:19.180
high. I think it was because we're a new uh community

00:33:19.189 --> 00:33:22.660
and they had to lay water lines. And so, uh even though

00:33:22.670 --> 00:33:27.029
we can serve our water quite a bit, um our rates are

00:33:27.219 --> 00:33:31.019
are much higher than when I was in just uh a home

00:33:31.029 --> 00:33:33.828
two miles south of here. For 20 years before that.

00:33:33.969 --> 00:33:38.828
Anyway, my concern is that if the rate increases are

00:33:38.838 --> 00:33:42.439
based on a percentage, you know, if, if our bill is

00:33:42.449 --> 00:33:47.500
already high, then a percentage will, will just, you

00:33:47.509 --> 00:33:51.390
know, continue to increase, uh, more for us. And it

00:33:51.400 --> 00:33:54.368
doesn't seem like we ought to be paying these, um,

00:33:54.500 --> 00:34:00.618
increases based on if you will a percentage. So, uh

00:34:01.009 --> 00:34:03.098
I don't know if that makes sense to you all but uh

00:34:03.118 --> 00:34:07.469
you know, once you're paying a higher rate, um a percentage

00:34:07.479 --> 00:34:10.119
on top of that, you know, and, and of course, these

00:34:10.128 --> 00:34:13.668
are gonna continue to CRE uh you know, have rate increases

00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:17.579
over, you know, uh several years, you know, on into

00:34:17.590 --> 00:34:24.110
the future. So that's my concern.

00:34:24.110 --> 00:34:27.128
That's all I really have to say.

00:34:27.128 --> 00:34:35.340
Uh Thank you for your, your comment,

00:34:35.340 --> 00:34:37.519
your honor. I have no additional questions at this

00:34:37.530 --> 00:34:40.199
Excuse me, no additional public comments at this time

00:34:43.378 --> 00:34:47.898
Ok. Thank you, operator.

00:34:47.898 --> 00:34:51.798
Ok. Um Thank you to everyone who participated today

00:34:51.809 --> 00:34:53.898
If you would like to provide additional comments, uh

00:34:53.907 --> 00:34:57.338
You may submit written comments on the docket card

00:34:57.349 --> 00:35:00.099
for this proceeding. Do you sign at the commission's

00:35:00.110 --> 00:35:09.739
website? At A PPS dot CPUC dot C a.gov, backslash C

00:35:09.780 --> 00:35:16.829
backslash A 2308010

00:35:16.829 --> 00:35:19.010
for assistance with providing additional comments.

00:35:19.409 --> 00:35:22.409
You may contact the commission's public adviser's office

00:35:23.579 --> 00:35:30.599
at Public Advisor at CPUC dot C a.gov.

00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:34.179
A uh seeing as how we don't have any additional callers

00:35:34.188 --> 00:35:38.059
on the line. This concludes this evening's public participation

00:35:38.070 --> 00:35:40.809
hearing, but we will now be off the record. Thank you