Sempra posts high profits amidst increasing energy rates
Good Morning, I’m Annica Colbert….it’s Monday, February 28th>>>>
high energy bills for san diegans, high profits for Sempra
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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Governor Gavin Newsom ended all but about five-percent of his COVID-19-related executive orders on friday. But he's keeping the long running state of emergency declaration in place… along with the powers that come with it.
California Health Secretary Doctor Mark Ghaly says those powers are still necessary to allow the state to respond to the uncertain future of the pandemic.
“When you're caught flat footed in situations that you can anticipate, they could easily become emergencies and much more urgent because of your lack of readiness and preparedness.”
In the last two years, Newsom has signed 561 COVID-19 related proclamations through executive orders.
Republican state lawmakers have been calling for the governor to end the state of emergency. A resolution to terminate it will get its first hearing in March.
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In a new milestone for biking in San Diego– there are now four and a half miles of new protected bikeways installed in the city. They’re in downtown San Diego, Bankers Hill, and Hillcrest. They were officially completed on friday. As an added bonus, the construction that once snarled traffic on those streets is now over with.
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The number of San Diego county patients hospitalized with covid-19 continued to fall, decreasing to 493 as of saturday --down by 4 from friday -- that's according to the latest state data. The number of those patients in intensive care decreased by eight to 83.
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From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
While San Diegans struggle to pay their rising electric bills… sdg&e’s parent company has reported over a billion dollars in profits.
kpbs reporter tania thorne tells us people are looking for answers.
Sempra, the parent company of SDG&E, released their earnings for 20-21.
The report showed the company made 1-point-25 billion dollars in earnings.
$604 million dollars were reported during the last quarter of the year.
This was just as temperatures started to drop and residents started seeing higher SDG&E bills.
SDG&E has stated that a rate increase comes after a 25% jump in the cost of natural gas.
“The 25% increase in the wholesale price of gas doesn’t seem to affect the executive salaries of SDGE who has 20 VP’s all making six figure incomes and it certainly isn't hurting the executive compensation packages for Sempra energy and that just enrages me.”
Kevin Kilpatrick, a professor at Cal State San Marcos, is suing SDG&E… for price gouging and emotional distress.
“There are hundreds of thousands of people that are in San Diego county who cannot afford price increases like that and they have to make decisions about whether they ‘re gonna pay the electric bill, or buy food, or even worse, buy medicine.
Kilptrick doesn’t think he’ll win, but he wants to be heard.
“SDG&E is causing me and hundreds of thousands of other people tremendous stress….. I want that to stop. I'm doing it for everybody in San diego.”
The case is scheduled for April 28th at the Hall of Justice and Kilpatrick invites anyone angry with SDG&E”s rate increase to join him.
Assembly member Tasha Boerner Horvath also wants answers.
In a statement, she said she is drafting a request to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee… If approved, it would task the State Auditor with examining the factors and decision-making, at both SDG&E and the California Public Utilities Commission, that resulted in the implementation of these rates.
The assembly member said she thinks San Diegans deserve to know why it costs more to power a house in San Diego than anywhere else in the country.
We reached out to Sempra, the parent company of SDG&E for comment but did not hear back.
TT KPBS News
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On Saturday a forum was held for the final two candidates for San Diego Unified's next superintendent. KPBS education reporter m.g. Perez reports.
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California has passed a milestone when it comes to how people get around. The one-millionth “zero emission vehicle” was sold last week.
But as kpbs reporter john carroll tells us, low supply means it’s very difficult to buy one.
STATE OFFICIALS ARE SINGING THE STATE’S PRAISES … TOUTING THE SUCCESS OF GETTING LOTS OF ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES, OR ZEVS ONTO CALIFORNIA ROADS. THE ONE-MILLIONTH ONE… SOLD IN STOCKTON THIS WEEK. GOVERNOR NEWSOM’S NEW BUDGET EARMARKS 10-BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT SIX YEARS TO GET MORE ZEVS ON THE ROAD. LIANE RUDOLPH OF THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD ACKNOWLEDGED ITS HARD TO BUY AN EV.
“I THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT BUYING A CAR IS CHALLENGING NO MATTER WHAT THE PLATFORM.”
CALIFORNIA HAS MORE ZEVS ON THE ROAD THAN THE NEXT 10 STATES COMBINED. JC, KPBS NEWS.
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Coronado is out of compliance with state affordable housing laws. But KPBS metro reporter Andrew Bowen says a crackdown from state officials doesn't appear to be coming anytime soon.
AB: Coronado was tasked by the state with zoning for 912 new homes — both to account for future growth and to make up for the shortage of housing that exists today. But last year, the city chose to plan for just over a third of that. And they did so betting could get away with it, at least for a while. So far that bet is paying off. State officials can sue the city into compliance, but David Zisser of the Department of Housing and Community Development says they're not to that point yet.
DZ: We are currently discussing what the right time frame is, when do we reach out to jurisdictions. And it's really not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
AB: Coronado is far from alone. The vast majority of cities in Southern California have housing plans that are out of compliance with state law. Jon Wizard of the nonprofit YIMBY Law says many are making good faith efforts to come into compliance.
JW: But certainly cities that are objectively and obviously obstructionist or obstinate should have a little bit more attention than I think we've been seeing from the state.
AB: Coronado says it's working on its housing plan. But it hasn't held any meetings on the matter or given itself a deadline for achieving compliance. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
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It’s Girl Scout cookie season, but the pandemic has halted sales for one local troop. Instead, they’re providing a different kind of service to their community…
KPBS Speak City Heights reporter Jacob Aere says it’s helping young girls stay in touch with their east african culture.
On Monday evenings, the nonprofit group United Women of East Africa opens their doors to the women of the future: the members of Girl Scout Troop 4307.
Although they’re not selling cookies right now, the troop teaches the young girls how to become leaders of the future, while breaking down stereotypes and, of course, having fun.
Hanan Shiferaw works for the women’s group.
“We’ll read about women in Islam. The key roles that they had, right? That women are looked at equal to men. Just kind of uplifting and empowering them just so that they know their religion is not something they should be ashamed of, but more something they should be proud of.”
United Women of East Africa offers many other programs that cater to immigrant families. They also offer tutoring services, leadership training workshops and girls basketball programs. Jacob Aere, KPBS News.
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Coming up.... Drained pool politics–how racist politics in America costs everyone. KPBS speaks with an author who is part of a Black History month lecture series from the San Diego public library and the University of San Diego copley library. We’ll have more on that next, just after the break.
Author Heather McGhee says she started out on a mission to answer one simple question. Why can’t America have nice things? …Nice things like well funded public schools in every neighborhood, and truly universal, guaranteed health care, child care and affordable housing. She explores answers to that question in her book The Sum of Us: How Racism Cost Everyone and How We Can Prosper.
Heather McGhee recently spoke with KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon. Here’s that interview.
And that was author Heather McGhee, speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon. McGhee will be discussing her book virtually for the Black History Month lecture series held by the San Diego Public Library and University of San Diego Copley Library tonight from 6:30 to 8 pm.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Annica Colbert. Thanks for listening and have a great day.
