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The California Legislature is set to consider a "gutted and amended" bill (AB 3036) that would eliminate current protections that prevent the University of California and the state's other educational organizations from being charged unfair utility rates. Without these legal protections, municipal utility districts will be able to impose capital charges on UC and public agencies unilaterally, leaving UC employees and students – and taxpayers throughout California – to foot the bill. UC alone could face an estimated $5.5 million in additional utility costs each year if the bill passes. With the budget problems in Sacramento, additional utility costs may have to be absorbed by the University, in the form of cuts to other programs and services - on top of the more than $500 million in budget cuts UC has taken in recent years. At a time like this, it doesn’t make sense to increase the burden on the University’s already strained financial resources, just to benefit municipal utility interests. A similar bill was rejected in last year’s legislative session. Please send a letter opposing this latest attempt to legislators who will soon be voting on this new bill and to the governor whose veto may be needed to protect UC if it gets through the Legislature. Communications from concerned faculty members are needed to let state legislators and the governor know that AB 3036 is a bad idea for UC and education in California. This page was last updated on October 19, 2004. |
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