R-10470Council Meeting: May 11, 2010
Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER lp~,~g (CCS)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
EXPRESSING THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA'S OPPOSITION TO PROPOSITION 16
THAT WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL CONSTRAINTS ON A CITY'S ABILITY TO
PURSUE COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION TO ACHIEVE ITS NET ZERO
ENERGY CITY GOALS AND TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica has been actively facilitating deployment of
solar systems.and energy efficiency measures throughout the community with the goal
of achieving net zero electricity consumption by 2020 and reducing greenhouse gas
emissions; and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to maintain its authority to become. a partner in a
joint powers authority for the purpose becoming ah aggregate electricity provider under
state law AB: 117, Community Choice Aggregation; and
WHEREAS, for example, the County of Marin has exercised this authority, has
formed the Marin Energy Authority to operate a Community Choice Aggregation that will
deliver at least 51 % renewable energy by 2014, and has determined that Community
Choice Aggregation is the most cost-effective way that the county and cities of Marin
can reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
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WHEREAS, in contrast, to the success available through aggregation, Pacific
Gas & Electric (PG&E) has delivered only about 12% eligible renewables in 2008; and
WHEREAS, PG&E has said it will not meet its state mandated goal of 20%
eligible renewable energy by 2010; and
WHEREAS, PG&E is financially sponsoring a California ballot initiative called the
"New Two Thirds Requirement for Local Electricity Providers" that would amend the
basic revenue bond authority of local governments so that local governments planning
to start selling electricity would first need atwo-thirds vote of approval from their
residents if the plans required public financing; and
WHEREAS, local governments have the authority to own assets and to secure
bonds with revenue obtained from those assets, but this ballot measure would unduly
constrain Santa Monica's ability to exercise this authority as an aggregate electricity
provider; and
WHEREAS, obtaining atwo-thirds vote of approval in a local election can be
challenging and costly, particularly when the opposition has a large budget for defeating
the measure; and
WHEREAS, if passed, this measure would impede the City's efforts to protect the
environment and set a dangerous precedent that could potentially lead to further
constraints on the ability of local governments to issue revenue bonds.
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES
RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica opposes the "New Two
Thirds Requirement for Local Electricity Providers" ballot initiative and will notify the
People of Santa Monica of this opposition.
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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Adopted and approved this 11th day of May, 2010.
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Pam O'Connor, Mayor Pro Tem
I, Maria Stewart, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby certify
that the foregoing Resolution No. 10470 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of
the Santa Monica City Council held on the 11th day of May, 2010, by the following
vote:
Ayes: Council members: Bloom, O'Day, Holbrook, Davis, Shriver,
McKeown, Mayor Pro Tem O'Connor
Noes: Council members: None
Absent: Council members: None
ATTEST:
Maria Stewart, City C rk