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Our goal is to provide Municipalization information to the public, highlighting faster, cheaper, better, and smarter alternatives. We petition for financial facts and urge the City Council to provide a detailed update on the status of Municipalization. Sign the petition - MuniMoneyFacts!
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See The Light Boulder! Critical Review of Municipalization The Power of Facts
What is our Goal: • Our goal is to provide Municipalization information (light) to the Public that the City of Boulder doesn’t or won’t provide, or won’t provide without extra cost and persistence. • Our goal includes the same goal that the Municipalization effort claims is their goal. The smartest and best way to reduce Boulder’s carbon footprint.
The Muni EffortPastPresentFutureResponsibility The Past: The vote
2011 The next vote to continue this funding will occur this year or next year. Otherwise the Muni will be drawing money from the General Fund that seems to be used as a blank check. If the vote is put off for a year, that will say a lot.
The Present • Too Much Time (3.5 years) • Too Much Money ($14 million) • Too Little Transparency • Too Little Potential Outcome
The FutureFaster, cheaper, better, smarter. • Here are two suggestions that are faster, cheaper, better, and smarter than Municipalization. • WindSource – Worked Yesterday and Works Today • Buy REC’s – Perfect for a Paper Power Company REC’s = Renewable Energy Certificates
Boulder 30% rate increase Best-case-scenario for 50% renewables. Using WindSource for 100% of Boulder to have carbon free electricity would increase rates 24%
Boulder 30%rate increase Best-case-scenario for 50% renewables. Using REC’s for 100% of Boulder to have carbon free electricity would increase rates 1.2% to 1.5% REC’s video
Responsibility • Who decides the off-ramp? • Is Boulder Energy Future Responsible? • NO • City Council are the ones who decide. • City Council are the ones who are responsible.
There are Faster, Cheaper, Better, and Smarter Alternatives. We 582 petition for financial facts. The time has come for Boulder City Council to provide a detailed financial update on the status of the possible outcomes of the Municipalization effort. Superficial statements of a “sound” or “robust” financial status are no longer adequate.
But wait, there’s more! Boulder could provide solar incentives especially at optimal locations, and perhaps in the future directly buy REC’s from residents and businesses.
City Council - please provide the facts that will allow us to critically review the current and modeled future financial status of Municipalization. • Without Gunbarrelcustomers and Xcel's assets in the separation area. • Prove that Municipalization is still a viable option that is better than WindSource or REC’s. Sign the petition - MuniMoneyFacts
In 2013, Xcel Energy announced plans and received utility commission approval to purchase power from two new projects totaling about 450 megawatts, increasing our system total to about 2,600 megawatts over the next several years. The additions are expected to save Colorado customers about $231 million in fuel costs over 20 years.
Xcel Undergrounding Projects Xcel Energy invested over the years about $19.5 million through the “one percent fund” to convert power lines to underground in Boulder. As a favor to the city, Xcel Energy allowed Boulder to carry forward about $350,000 of unspent funds from 2010 (when the franchised expired) into in 2011 (after the franchise expired) to convert power lines along East Pearl Parkway at Boulder Junction. Other “one percent” projects include: - All of 28th St from the Turnpike to Iris - 30th St. – Walnut to Pearl - Arapahoe from west of Folsom to east of Foothills Parkway - Majority of Pearl St, Canyon, Walnut, Broadway, Spruce, Iris, Valmont
Shall the Boulder Home Rule Charter be amended pursuant to Ordinance No. 7920, to limit the portion of bonds or other obligations issued for the purpose of purchasing or otherwise acquiring the existing assets of the electric system and for paying stranded costs in one complete payment to an amount not-to-exceed $214 million, which amount may be increased annually by the Denver-Boulder-Greeley Consumer Price Index, and without limiting the authority of the utility to issue bonds or other obligations in any amount for all other lawful purposes in compliance with the Charter and other applicable laws, and without limiting the authority of the utility to pay stranded costs as a part of rates rather than as one complete payment; and limiting the underlying fees and other costs of issuance of the bonds to amounts paid by other similarly situated utilities; limiting the utility’s service area to an area supporting safe and reliable service to its customers; providing for elections at special or general elections; requiring the utility advisory board to advise the council on rate making; providing for customer choice for out of city customers; for out of city customers to be represented on the utility advisory board; and to provide that, if this ballot question receives more votes than all other initiatives which pertain to debt limitations or the adoption of a new Section 188 of the city Charter, then this measure shall become law and such other initiatives shall not be implemented?
In the Colorado Supreme Court case of Mountain States Telephone and Telegralph v. DiFede, that's D-I-F-E-D-E, I have a copy if Your Honor would like a copy today. That's 780 P.2d 533, 1989. The Court found that a privilege against nondisclosure is waived if the party seeking to protect the information puts the information at issue, and I think the record is going to show here today, Your Honor, the City has continuously and repeatedly put at issue its modeling, and more specifically for today's purposes, cash flow modeling. It was essential to the analysis, to the conclusion the City reached, that it could meet the Charter requirements. It's proud of its analysis, justifiably so. It's extraordinary sophisticated. But having put it at issue, and having publicized it repeatedly, it can't now say, I'm sorry, you're not allowed to see what's inside of it.