Make a Power Move?

[USGrant1962]

Quote from the Wikipedia article on the pipeline explosion:

"On January 13, 2012, an independent audit from the State of California issued a report stating that PG&E had illegally diverted over $100 million from a fund used for safety operations, and instead used it for executive compensation and bonuses."

Well that's bad, but in as much as their revenue is about $17B a year - $100M over how many years is a rounding error. People really don't understand the scale and cost of these kind of things. Further, the State is the regulator so of course they are going to point fingers (and there's three pointing back at you).

Interesting how the most regulated industries in the country cause the biggest problems - banks in 2009, the VA in 2014, utilities in 2019. Hmmm....

 

[Montecfo]

What policies are you referring to? It would be good to understand how Virginia, and particularly Northern Virginia, dealt with these issues differently and with better results.

Well, let's see: no rolling power outages, plenty of water, streets not filled with homeless and addicts. Plentiful and inexpensive fuel. Credit rating AAA.

Seems pretty effective. But it is beside the point. This is not about Virginia.

California cannot fix its problems if it is unwilling to acknowledge them, determine root causes and make changes.

 

[W2R]

Al, could you afford a second home in some location that you think is better? I know you love the beautiful area where you live, but I can see why power outages and fire worries could wear you down and bring back bad memories. If you had a second home, you could just take off and spend a few months there when you need to get away.

 

[bigreader]

Well, let's see: no rolling power outages, plenty of water, streets not filled with homeless and addicts. Plentiful and inexpensive fuel. Credit rating AAA.

Seems pretty effective. But it is beside the point. This is not about Virginia.

California cannot fix its problems if it is unwilling to acknowledge them, determine root causes and make changes.

It seems to me that Virginia is relevant since you are using it as a "role model" in this discussion. You say that the streets are not filled with drug addicts. However, the death rate from opioid addition in Virginia in 2017 was 14.8 deaths per 100,000 people, which was above the national average. https://www.drugabuse.gov/opioid-summaries-by-state/virginia-opioid-summary. In California, it was 5.3. https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-summaries-by-state/california-opioid-summary I don't think that this problem exists because Virginia failed to acknowledged it, determine root causes and apply a fix. I think that it is a complex problem with no single, simple answer. It has caused a lot of human suffering and I hope we can find a way out.

You surely know there are real population, size, location and topography differences between where you live and California. Virginia has fewer people (8.6 m) than the population of Los Angeles County. California's population and area is almost 4 times that of Virginia. California's deserts are almost the size of Virginia. 25% of California's 163,693 square miles are desert. Are any of Virginia's 43,00 miles are in a desert (excluding food deserts)?

Those factors might help explain why you have water and why it is an issue in California and other western states. It might explain why California has different approach to gas prices. Los Angeles County (which as you recall has more people than Virginia) and other CA cities had a crippling smog problem because of climate, topography and cars. Part of the cost addressing this issue include higher gas prices. You may not agree, but many prefer higher gas prices to the smoggy alternative. AAA credit rating? That's better than CA. However, taxpayers in Virginia receive more than $10k each in benefits than they pay in tax. It is the biggest imbalance of any state in the country. https://rockinst.org/issue-areas/fiscal-analysis/balance-of-payments-portal/ But if we want to talk economy, California is the fifth largest economy in the world with a per capita GDP of $76k. Seems pretty effective. In Virginia the per capita GDP is $52k.

Look, I am glad you like Virginia and I am totally fine that you and other folks wouldn't want to live or visit somewhere else. You can even keep your extra tax benefits! But I do object to the idea that things are trouble free everywhere but California and the solutions are obvious. Extrapolating from anecdotal parochial experiences regarding what you see in your town doesn't do this discussion justice.

 

[Montecfo]

It seems to me that Virginia is relevant since you are using it as a "role model" in this discussion. You say that the streets are not filled with drug addicts. However, the death rate from opioid addition in Virginia in 2017 was 14.8 deaths per 100,000 people, which was above the national average. https://www.drugabuse.gov/opioid-summaries-by-state/virginia-opioid-summary. In California, it was 5.3. https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-summaries-by-state/california-opioid-summary I don't think that this problem exists because Virginia failed to acknowledged it, determine root causes and apply a fix. I think that it is a complex problem with no single, simple answer. It has caused a lot of human suffering and I hope we can find a way out.

You surely know there are real population, size, location and topography differences between where you live and California. Virginia has fewer people (8.6 m) than the population of Los Angeles County. California's population and area is almost 4 times that of Virginia. California's deserts are almost the size of Virginia. 25% of California's 163,693 square miles are desert. Are any of Virginia's 43,00 miles are in a desert (excluding food deserts)?

Those factors might help explain why you have water and why it is an issue in California and other western states. It might explain why California has different approach to gas prices. Los Angeles County (which as you recall has more people than Virginia) and other CA cities had a crippling smog problem because of climate, topography and cars. Part of the cost addressing this issue include higher gas prices. You may not agree, but many prefer higher gas prices to the smoggy alternative. AAA credit rating? That's better than CA. However, taxpayers in Virginia receive more than $10k each in benefits than they pay in tax. It is the biggest imbalance of any state in the country. https://rockinst.org/issue-areas/fiscal-analysis/balance-of-payments-portal/ But if we want to talk economy, California is the fifth largest economy in the world with a per capita GDP of $76k. Seems pretty effective. In Virginia the per capita GDP is $52k.

Look, I am glad you like Virginia and I am totally fine that you and other folks wouldn't want to live or visit somewhere else. You can even keep your extra tax benefits! But I do object to the idea that things are trouble free everywhere but California and the solutions are obvious. Extrapolating from anecdotal parochial experiences regarding what you see in your town doesn't do this discussion justice.

I am not using Virginia as a role model. You brought it into the arena. I simply answered your question.

As I said before, California's serious issues such as power outages, water shortages and homelessness will not be fixed until the policy issues driving them are addressed. Attempting to divert attention or lay blame elsewhere is not working.

 

[marko]

Off topic but: We have the same issue. A wealthy family decided that our town needed a shelter for 6 homeless people and set up a small place. It grew and grew and 10 years later we have 2100 homeless roaming the streets of our very small town, coming from as far as 300 miles away...some even further. Ruined the town. Then the wealthy family moved away but their name is still on the shelter.

I can answer part of your question. The town next to me where I have a rental property voted in a tax on the utility bill. (water or electric, can't remember at this moment.) This tax is for homeless services. So the police department hands out mats to sleep on, phones, and other goodies as well.

Result? Now there's a dozen or so out there instead of hardly any which had been the norm. So the property owners ultimately raise the rents on the tenants to pay for a tax so the homeless can be given more things and attract more homeless.

 

[Pellice]

What I don't understand is how businesses can continue to operate with these uncertainties and shutdowns. And I'm not talking the little stores and restaurants, I'm talking larger employers. California is basically overpopulated for a semi-arid state with limited water. A declining population would solve a lot of problems. Aren't the real estate values cutting into profits for businesses as well?

Why don't they relocate out of CA? Employees in theory would be grateful that they could actually afford real estate. And they would bring the small businesses with them. I think people are way too dismissive of living in the interior (although I don't, lol). Columbus, Ohio is a nice city with big time university life and is a state capital. Would be a fine place to relocate.

I just don't understand the determination for businesses to stay on the coasts with all the issues and traffic and overpopulation.

 

[target2019]

Businesses also have distributed centers across the country, from which they service customers. It also is smart to stay where your customers are. Companies have multiple approaches to location.

 

[dixonge]

Some interesting stats/facts on wildfires in Cali:

Are CA Wildfires Becoming More Frequent?

 

[Montecfo]

There has been net migration OUT of California last 2 years. This will likely be the 3rd as issues driving it seem to have worsened.

 

[Senator]

Some interesting stats/facts on wildfires in Cali:

Are CA Wildfires Becoming More Frequent?

An excerpt from your link. And even if fires were more frequent and larger, (which they are not), property forestry techniques would solve it.

The bottom line of the real fire data produced by the State of California and in the peer-reviewed literature is clear: there has been no upward trend in the number of wildfires in California during the past decades. In fact, the frequency of fires has declined.

And in most of the state, there has not been an increasing trend in area burned during the past several decades.

Yes....this and last year had some big fires, but a few years does not make a trend.

There has been net migration OUT of California last 2 years. This will likely be the 3rd as issues driving it seem to have worsened.

And the people moving are more affluent and it's not because of fires.

 

[mpeirce]

Some interesting stats/facts on wildfires in Cali:

Are CA Wildfires Becoming More Frequent?

Exactly, there is a lot of recency bias going on.

 

[Another Reader]

An excerpt from your link. And even if fires were more frequent and larger, (which they are not), property forestry techniques would solve it.






And the people moving are more affluent and it's not because of fires.

Actually, it's not the more affluent. It's the "middle" middle class, the people that can't afford the middle class life here. The wealthy and the upper middle class, particularly those people with lucrative jobs in tech and related areas are a stable population. There is a lot of immigration, both legal and illegal. Most of that is lower class, with some wealthy Asians and others in the mix.

 

[NW-Bound]

Quote from the Wikipedia article on the pipeline explosion:

"On January 13, 2012, an independent audit from the State of California issued a report stating that PG&E had illegally diverted over $100 million from a fund used for safety operations, and instead used it for executive compensation and bonuses."

That is really egregious. I wonder if anyone went to jail for this.

On the other hand, a lot more money is needed to fix California's electric infrastructure.

A repeat from my posts on an earlier thread:

The utility recently told a federal judge it had completed only about 31% of the ambitious tree-trimming work it planned for 2019. The company said it had finished 760 miles out of the 2,455 miles of power lines that have vegetation around them. To finish the job, PG&E said it would need significantly more than the 4,500 workers it has dedicated to the work.

And that’s only for stopgap measures. In a court filing, PG&E said a clear-cutting of all trees and plants around its power lines would cost somewhere between $75 billion and $150 billion and require hiring 650,000 workers.

The transmission lines and towers are also antiquated. Replacing them will cost billions, and I have not seen an estimate for this.

Perhaps raising the electric rate by 25c/kWh for a decade will bring in enough money for all the needed work?

About 30% of PG&E towers and transmission lines are from the 1920s. Another 60% are from 1920-1950.

 

[Mulligan]

I can answer part of your question. The town next to me where I have a rental property voted in a tax on the utility bill. (water or electric, can't remember at this moment.) This tax is for homeless services. So the police department hands out mats to sleep on, phones, and other goodies as well.



Result? Now there's a dozen or so out there instead of hardly any which had been the norm. So the property owners ultimately raise the rents on the tenants to pay for a tax so the homeless can be given more things and attract more homeless.

Seems a kindler more gentle approach. I guess having police “rough them up” a bit, escort them to the city limit sign and say dont come back again is not in vogue anymore?

 

[Music Lover]

Climate change

Just blame the climate and then no one has to accept responsibility for years of inept management.

 

[Boose]

Wait a minute...what happened to Florida being the state nobody wanted to live?

Ha ha ha, there's no way I'll ever live in Florida. But I'm planning to flee San Diego for southern New Hampshire (another place I said I'd never live), so apparently I can change my mind...

Moving to SD in 2008, I'd thought I'd hit the lottery - good weather, high wages, no heating costs, short rush hour commutes. But as more cold-weather refugees have moved here, this seems unsustainable to me. Droughts, persistent homelessness and petty crime, crazy commutes, and government's useless lawmaking (mini shampoo bottle bans?) are a huge negative now.

 

[NW-Bound]

The situation with California electric grid will take years to remedy. In the mean time, what's a resident to do?

People think of a whole-house generator, but that is a fuel guzzler which may burn a gallon per hour. How do you store fuel for several days of use? It may work if you have metered nat gas at the home, and if the gas supply stays on during the electric outage.

I would forgo AC and heating, and try to keep just the refrigerator going and some lighting. An inverter generator that changes its speed to match the load will conserve fuel, and would be my first choice.

For a long-term solution, a solar panel array coupled with battery storage would keep the above necessities going without having to fire up the generator. The battery storage would also be nice to allow shutting off the generator at night, and not having to run it 24/7.

Tesla Powerwall is the most well-known home storage solution, but there are other makers of similar products. In another thread, Alan told us about an affordable Chinese product that was offered in the UK. I expect this market to ramp up in the years ahead.

 

[W2R]

Wait a minute...what happened to Florida being the state nobody wanted to live?

After living 7 years in Northern California, and 7 years in southern California, I had plenty of time to experience both the good and the bad and it is definitely the state at the absolute bottom of my list. YMMV

Sad, because the natural beauty of California scenery and wildlife is breathtaking and simply unmatched. But it is not enough to balance out the negatives IMO.

I used to think New Jersey was nearly as bad, until I actually WENT to New Jersey and found out that it has some very nice areas and I liked it better than I thought I would.

I actually like Florida, although F does not so we will never live there. But then, he also does not like California.

 

[brewer12345]

I fervently hope that Calistan fixes the power problem post haste so that more of the residents don't move to my state.

 

[Another Reader]

I fervently hope that Calistan fixes the power problem post haste so that more of the residents don't move to my state.

I have been looking at properties out there on line, so don't get your hopes up... Splitting the seasons between Arizona and Colorado seems to be common now. Both are relatively low tax states and neither seems to have the social or financial problems of California.

 

[brewer12345]

I have been looking at properties out there on line, so don't get your hopes up... Splitting the seasons between Arizona and Colorado seems to be common now. Both are relatively low tax states and neither seems to have the social or financial problems of California.

Feel free to come out here, just don't vote for all the stupid policies and politicians that screwed up Calistan.

 

[GravitySucks]

Are there no prisons? Are the Union workhouses full?

Seems a kindler more gentle approach. I guess having police “rough them up” a bit, escort them to the city limit sign and say dont come back again is not in vogue anymore?

 

[RAE]

Proper forest management would go a long ways towards solving the forest fire issue. Forests need to be logged to prevent fires.

Yes, that can help, but most of the larger fires in California are actually burning in areas with mostly chaparral (shrub) vegetation, or even areas of mixed shrubs and dry grass - not forest. People want to build their homes in these areas because they are scenic, but many people don't realize how dangerous it can be to live there, especially when the vegetation dries out and the winds kick up. The experts will tell you that rising temperatures and longer spells of dry weather are the main culprits in the increased number and ferocity of wildfires in California (and throughout the US West).

 

[Winemaker]

I have been buying wine grapes from California for 8 years. This years crop as of 10/27/19 has not yet been totally harvested yet. I am still awaiting shipment of my last order. In past warmer years, I have had my order fulfilled before the last week in September. You can blame climate change all you want, but not this year, we are almost a month behind.